ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Sustainable Agriculture

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further initiatives she intends to introduce to encourage more environmentally friendly agriculture. [R]

Alun Michael: The Government are committed to developing a more sustainable agricultural industry. Improving the environment is one element of sustainable agriculture and we have an expanding programme of measures in place.
	We know there is more to do and expect that the independent Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food will propose new and innovative ideas to develop a more sustainable agricultural industry.

Foot and Mouth

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many compensation claims for foot and mouth disease are outstanding in respect of farmers in Chorley.

Elliot Morley: The Department has no outstanding claims for compensation for slaughtered livestock from farmers in Chorley.

Foot and Mouth

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the foot and mouth crisis.

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on foot and mouth disease.

Margaret Beckett: For almost two months, cases of foot and mouth disease have continued to occur but have been confined to two "hotspots" in Cumbria and Northumberland. However there is no room for complacency and farmers should continue with the biosecurity measures issued by the Department.

Foot and Mouth

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the long-term economic impact of the foot and mouth outbreak on mid-Wales farming and other rural businesses in mid-Wales.

Alun Michael: The outbreak is having a considerable impact on farming and a range of industries throughout the UK and this is certainly reflected in the impact in mid-Wales. It is not possible, at this stage, to make a reliable estimate of the longer-term economic consequences. Work is in hand to complete a national assessment, the details of which will be made available to the public.

Foot and Mouth

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the impact of foot and mouth disease on rural small businesses.

Alun Michael: Foot and mouth disease has had a massive impact on the rural economy including tourism and other non-farm businesses, even in areas with few FMD cases. The Rural Task Force was set up to advise on the impact of foot and mouth disease on the rural economy and the report reflects the way in which a variety of interests have been willing to work together to tackle the problems.

Foot and Mouth

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on her Department's handling of the foot and mouth epidemic.

Margaret Beckett: The Department has received representations from an extremely wide range of interested parties on all aspects of the foot and mouth outbreak. Since the start of the outbreak, we have regularly consulted a wide range of stakeholders and worked closely with them in the development of our disease control polices.

Foot and Mouth

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the economic impact of foot and mouth disease.

Margaret Beckett: I am very much aware that the outbreak is having a considerable impact on farming and a range of industries throughout the UK. However, it is not possible, at this stage, to make a reliable estimate of the longer-term economic consequences. Work is in hand to complete a national assessment, the details of which will be made publicly available.

Foot and Mouth

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many footpaths have been re-opened since the outbreak of foot and mouth.

Alun Michael: The precise success in re-opening footpaths has been measured in percentage terms rather than in terms of the number of footpaths, which is less meaningful and could be established only at disproportionate cost. The latest available figures from the Countryside Agency (11 October) show that 92 per cent. of the footpath network in England is open again. This corresponds to over 109,000 miles out of a total of 118,248 miles. A list breaking down by local authority the progress made in re-opening footpaths since early July has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Most of the remaining closures are in the Infected Areas in the north of England where foot and mouth disease is still active, and where farms are subject to restrictions for disease control purposes. Elsewhere in the country, individual paths may remain closed across farmland that is still subject to "Form A" restrictions, until full cleansing and disinfection procedures have been completed and clearance to re-stock has been given. There may also be a few paths closed where there is assessed to be a greater risk from foot and mouth disease, such as pig units, or for the protection of specific rare breeds of susceptible animals.

Foot and Mouth

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support her Department is giving to the Youth Hostels Association consequent upon the restrictions on countryside access imposed to combat the spread of foot and mouth disease.

Alun Michael: We are well aware of the impact that foot and mouth disease and the measures to control it have had on the Youth Hostels Association's finances. I have met representatives of the YHA to discuss their difficulties and possible sources of help, and the Minister responsible for tourism is due to meet them shortly. We are considering, in the light of the recommendations of the Rural Task Force published yesterday, what further help might be made available to the YHA.

Foot and Mouth

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the cost of hiring privately owned land to incinerate slaughtered livestock during the foot and mouth crisis.

Elliot Morley: The cost of hiring privately owned land which has been used, at least in part, for incineration of slaughtered livestock during the foot and mouth epidemic is £741,905. Some of this was farmland with payment to the farmer.

Animal Transportation

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to place further restrictions on the transportation of live animals.

Elliot Morley: There are extensive controls on the transport of livestock. Any further restrictions must be developed and applied on an EU-wide basis. We are pressing the Commission to bring forward proposals for further improvements.

Regional Issues

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regional issues are her responsibility.

Alun Michael: DEFRA sponsors the Regional Development Agencies' rural programme, which this year is contributing £75 million to the rural economy of the English regions, including £39 million to help deal with the effects on rural businesses of foot and mouth disease.

Rural White Paper

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received from North-East Bedfordshire in respect of the Rural White Paper.

Alun Michael: The Department has not received any representations recently from North-East Bedfordshire in respect of the Rural White Paper.

Hedgerows

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she proposes to retain and enhance hedgerows.

Michael Meacher: The current combination of expanded agri-environmental incentives, good conservation advice and legal protection for important hedgerows is intended to ensure that we increase and improve our stock of these valuable countryside features.

Fruit and Vegetables

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tons of fruit and vegetables were disposed of in the EU in the last financial year; and what the totals were for each item.

Margaret Beckett: Provisional figures indicate that some 1.3 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables were withdrawn from the EU market between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001. Just under 10,000 tonnes of this were withdrawn in the UK, 10 per cent. of which was distributed free or used for animal feed. Information on the quantity of individual products will be placed in the Library of the House.
	
		
			 Product Tonnes withdrawn in EU Tonnes withdrawn in UK 
		
		
			 Cauliflowers 47,777 7,779 
			 Tomatoes 153,717 — 
			 Apples 269,145 161 
			 Grapes 59 — 
			 Apricots 15,043 — 
			 Nectarines 118,354 — 
			 Peaches 255,628 — 
			 Pears 91,082 1,977 
			 Aubergines 1,802 — 
			 Melons 14,435 — 
			 Water melons 10,610 — 
			 Oranges 229,980 — 
			 Mandarins 3,562 — 
			 Clementines 90,595 — 
			 Satsumas 6,663 — 
			 Lemons 9,474 —

Non-food Crops

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what work programme she has approved for the forum on non-food crops.

Margaret Beckett: The forum on non-food uses of crops has been set up to provide strategic advice to Government and industry. Its current work programme is focusing on case studies including biopackaging, fibre for the car industry and wool. Full details are on the forum's website www.defra.gov.uk/farm/gifnfc.

Recycling

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the United Kingdom targets for packaging recycling.

Michael Meacher: The Government are currently consulting on recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste in 2002.

Landfill Sites

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce measures to discourage the transport of waste to landfill sites and incinerators.

Margaret Beckett: The proximity principle set out in the Waste Strategy 2000 and Planning Policy Guidance Note 10 requires that waste should generally be disposed of as near as possible to its place of production, because transporting waste itself has an environmental impact.
	The Waste Strategy 2000 also sets out the many steps Government are taking to encourage diversion of waste to recycling.

Animal Welfare

Nick Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take further steps to encourage the market in meat produced to high standards of animal welfare.

Elliot Morley: The Government recognise the importance of standards of production for consumers and the market. We therefore welcome all industry initiatives to enhance further welfare standards and to highlight those standards to consumers. Financial assistance towards such initiatives is available through the England Rural Development Programme. It includes schemes which assist improved processing and marketing of quality products from welfare friendly systems, and related training for farmers

Animal Welfare

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her plans to minimise animal welfare problems in south Cumbria.

Elliot Morley: Our priority is to win the battle against foot and mouth disease. But we have provided for various animal movements schemes in order to overcome welfare problems. And in extreme cases, the Livestock Welfare Disposal Scheme remains in place.

Farmers' Incomes

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the change in farmers' average incomes since 1997.

Margaret Beckett: Average total income from farming per average full-time person engaged in agriculture has fallen by 41 per cent. in real terms from 1997 to 2000.

Fishing

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to ensure the future sustainability of the fishing industry in England.

Elliot Morley: It is a key DEFRA objective to promote the sustainable use of fish resources. We will do this in particular by improving the management of fish stocks and by bringing the capacity of the fleet into better balance with fishing opportunities. We will play a full role, in partnership with the industry, in the forthcoming EU review of the Common Fisheries Policy and in further work on stock recovery plans.

Common Fisheries Policy

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the European Commission Green Paper on the reform of the common fisheries policy.

Elliot Morley: We welcome the analysis contained within the Commission Green Paper. The Commission correctly identifies many of the significant weaknesses in the current operation of the CFP; sets out those existing elements of the policy, such as relative stability and access restrictions in the six-twelve mile zone, which should be continued; establishes a convincing case for revising the objectives of the CFP; and outlines a number of useful new ideas which must be carefully examined in the course of the Review. Our formal response is available in the Libraries of the House.

Grass Lets

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to offer compensation to farmers who have lost their income from grass lets.

Elliot Morley: My officials are in touch with the Arthur Rank Foundation and with industry bodies about the work of the ARF's National Fodder Bureau and Government match funding for this charitable work. This involves the purchase of farmers' surplus fodder and brokerage to those with more animals than anticipated (due to foot and mouth disease movement restrictions).

Climate Change

Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her participation in international negotiations on climate change.

Margaret Beckett: I attended the resumed Sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn in July and I will be attending the Seventh Conference of the Parties to be held in Marrakesh in November.

High Hedges Bill

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to reintroduce the High Hedges Bill.

Sally Keeble: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 884W.

Salmon Farming

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for reducing the waste produced from salmon farming; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Liddell: holding answer 19 July 2001
	I have been asked to reply.
	This is predominantly a matter for the devolved Administration in Scotland. I understand however that a range of initiatives are underway to ensure that salmon farming is undertaken sustainably, with regard both to economic benefit and effect on the environment.

Rural Taskforce

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the report of the rural taskforce will be published.

Alun Michael: The report is being published today. Arrangements have been made for copies to be placed in the House Library.

Renewable Energy

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government have taken to promote renewable forms of energy in the United Kingdom in the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
	In the last three years my Department has taken a number of steps to promote renewable forms of energy in the United Kingdom. Renewable sources of energy have received support of around £208 million over the last three years under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) arrangements. As of 31 March 2001, 366 NFFO projects had been commissioned, representing an installed capacity of around 934 MW (declared net capacity). In addition, my Department's Sustainable Energy Programme has invested a further £36.9 million into R&D activities. Indeed, the period from 1998–2001 saw my Department's budget for renewables rise from £9.7 million to £18 million in the current financial year.
	We are now looking to continue to accelerate the development of renewables across a wide range of sources and technologies. We are about to introduce the new Renewables Obligation which will oblige all licensed electricity suppliers to supply a specified and growing proportion of their electricity from renewable sources. Our target for the Obligation is that 10 per cent. of licensed electricity supplies will be generated from eligible renewable sources by 2010.
	The introduction of the Renewables Obligation will create a long-term market expected to be worth over £1 billion per year by 2010. Direct government funding for the financial years 2001–2004 will be worth over £260 million and will fund a range of initiatives including my Department's R&D programme, extensive capital grants for offshore wind and energy crops, and a photovoltaic demonstration programme.

Flood Defences

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve flood defences; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: I plan to reduce risk of flooding by investing in effective flood warning arrangements and in flood defences in the highest risk areas. Funding for the Department's programme is increasing from £66 million in 2000–01 to £114 million in 2003–04.
	This Department provides funding to the Environment Agency, local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards for capital flood and coastal defence works that meet certain criteria. Responsibility for deciding which projects to promote and their timing rests with the operating authorities.

Flood Alleviation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on farmers' access to funding when they present their land for use with flood alleviation.

Elliot Morley: This Department encourages a strategic approach to management of flood risk through the preparation of Shoreline Management Plans for the coastline and Catchment Flood Management Plans for rivers. These enable the identification of sustainable flood management options, including the possible use of farmland for flood alleviation purposes. In circumstances where quantifiable beneficial use arises, for example acquiring land for the construction or maintenance of defences, payment of compensation is possible. In specified circumstances land may be considered for payment under agri-environment schemes.

Flood Alleviation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress towards flood alleviation in the lower Severn area, with specific reference to the introduction of the new computer model to assess risk.

Elliot Morley: We understand that the Environment Agency's Severn Estuary computer model is essentially complete, except for verification of results and some refinement to assess options for flood defences at Gloucester. The initial results are confirming the previous understanding of the levels of protection provided by existing defences. The results will be used to develop the Agency's Tidal Severn Strategy and to feed into feasibility studies for any proposed flood defence works.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the proposal made in the latest report of the Independent Scientific Group on bovine tuberculosis regarding a suggestion that farmers should be seeking insurance against bovine tuberculosis breakdowns.

Elliot Morley: The third report of the Independent Scientific Group noted both compulsory insurance and compulsory levies as two possible future policy options available for transferring the cost of disease compensation from the public purse to the livestock industry. Neither was a proposal.
	They were identified by the group to allow as full a range of potential future policy options as possible to be considered when designing the scientific research programme necessary to underpin consideration of future policy on bovine TB. The chairman's introduction to the report made this clear.
	Consideration of whether or not these or other policy options are appropriate for the control of bovine TB will take place when lessons learned from foot and mouth, CSF and the recommendations of the Government Industry Working Party on compensation have been fully evaluated.

National Forest

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if there is a wider application for the introduction of a tendering process for farmers who wish to plant woodlands, as currently exists in the national forest.

Elliot Morley: The tendering approach used in the National Forest Tender Scheme has already been applied to other challenges run under the Woodland Grant Scheme including the South West Forest, new native woodlands in national parks, and reversing the fragmentation of ancient woodland.
	The Forestry Commission and DEFRA are currently conducting a review of woodland creation grants and will consider as part of this whether the tendering and challenge approach should be used more widely.

Waterways

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce a waterways agency in her review of waterways management to improve accountability.

Michael Meacher: The review under way covers the navigation responsibilities of the Environment Agency. The Agency, British Waterways and the Broads Authority manage nearly three-quarters of the navigable inland waterways and are already publicly accountable bodies. There are no plans to review the status of the remaining navigation authorities.

Waterways

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made in reviewing the structure of the management of waterways; and when she plans to report on the review.

Michael Meacher: Following the publication of the report of Stage 1 of the Environment Agency Financial Management and Policy Review, I have met the Chairmen of the Agency and British Waterways to discuss the future of the Agency's navigation responsibilities. A decision will be announced shortly.

Waste Incineration

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the waste incineration directive on the UK biomass industry, with particular reference to the thermal recycling market.

Michael Meacher: A series of Regulatory and Environmental Impact Assessment reports on the then proposed Waste Incineration Directive were commissioned from consultants. Copies of the reports (dated 1999 and 2000) are available in the Library of the House and were circulated to the industry associations which were consulted during the seven years of the Directive negotiations. These reports include assessments of the estimated costs of compliance with the Directive relating to the waste biomass combustion industry.
	The following figures (including the footnote) are taken from various parts of the October 2000 consultants' report.
	
		£000/per annum 
		
			 Plant type Number of plants operating or under construction in the UK Number of plants surveyed by consultant Estimated costs of compliance(1) 
		
		
			 Poultry litter and straw 5 IPC Part A 2 50–355 
			  (2)2000+ others — — 
			 Coffee grounds 1 1 26 
			 Waste-refuse derived fuel 3 2 150–1,000 
			 Paper and board 1 IPC Part A 1 30 
			  No data on others — — 
			 Wood (2)3,350 0 (3)— 
		
	
	(1) 1998 prices
	(2) Estimate
	(3) In this sector, companies burning treated wood are expected to respond to the proposed Directive by switching away from combustion and towards disposal e.g. to landfill. Negligible cost impacts are expected.
	Note:
	IPC: Integrated Pollution Control under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990
	The Directive just applies to the incineration of waste, and Article 2.2(a) excludes from the Directive's scope incinerators or co-incinerators which treat only certain biomass waste, namely:
	vegetable waste from agriculture and forestry;
	vegetable waste from the food processing industry, if the heat generated is recovered;
	fibrous vegetable waste from virgin pulp production and from production of paper from pulp, if it is co-incinerated at the place of production and the heat generated is recovered;
	wood waste with the exception of wood waste which may contain halogenated organic compounds or heavy metals as a result of treatment with wood preservatives or coating, and which includes in particular such wood waste originating from construction and demolition waste;
	cork waste.
	We will be consulting in due course on proposals for the transposition of the Directive.
	The EU Directive on the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources in the internal energy market classifies only the biodegradable element of waste as a renewable source. The Government have recently consulted on the Renewables Obligation and electricity generated from biomass (whether energy crops or waste in origin) will be eligible.

Litter

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were prosecuted in each of the last five years for litter offences.

Michael Meacher: Details of the number of people prosecuted in each of the last five years for which figures are available in England and Wales for litter offences are given in the table. Details for 2000 are not yet available.
	
		Number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates court and convicted at all courts in England and Wales for litter, 1996–99
		
			 Offence Year Prosecutions Convictions 
		
		
			 Environmental 1996 626 468 
			 Protection Act 1990 1997 505 352 
			 Section 87 1998 494 377 
			 Depositing litter 1999 501 390

Nuclear Power

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution nuclear power has made in helping the United Kingdom meet its targets under the Kyoto Protocols; and what meetings she has had with representatives of the nuclear industry on the matter.

Michael Meacher: Nuclear output was about one third higher in 2000 than in 1990. Because of this increase, UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2000 were between about 1 per cent. and about 2 per cent. lower than they would have been if nuclear output had not increased. The future contribution of nuclear power will depend on how the industry develops, but we expect nuclear power to make a contribution to meeting the UK's current commitment under the Kyoto Protocol. I met representatives of British Energy to discuss this and other issues on 31 January.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Parental Leave

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the outcome of the consultation on the changes to parental leave.

Alan Johnson: We received 46 responses to the consultation, all of which supported our proposals to extend the entitlement to parental leave. I am today publishing the Government's response to the consultation and will place copies in the Libraries of the House and on the Department's website and lay the amending regulations before the House.

Employment Tribunals

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what performance targets she has set for the Employment Tribunals Service for 2001–02.

Alan Johnson: I have set the Employment Tribunals Service the following performance targets for 2001–02:
	
		Percentage 
		
			  Target 
		
		
			 Quality  
			 Percentage of single Employment Tribunal cases to a first hearing within 26 weeks of receipt 75 
			 Minimum to be achieved by all offices in relation to above target 65 
			 Percentage of Employment Tribunal decisions issued within four weeks of the final hearing 85 
			 Percentage of Employment Tribunal users satisfied with the service offered by ETS 85 
			 Percentage of appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal registered for a preliminary hearing ready for listing within six weeks 90 
			   
			 Efficiency  
			 Real terms reduction in Employment Tribunal administrative costs 5 
		
	
	The first two figures represent a slight reduction (10 per cent.) on last year's targets. I have made this reduction in recognition of the Service's resources and the anticipated demands on the Service to be made this year.
	The targets will be published on the ETS website www.ets.gov.uk.

Supermarkets

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on the effectiveness of the Code of Practice on the relationships between supermarkets and farms.

Melanie Johnson: The Director General of Fair Trading consulted with the major supermarkets and over 100 representatives of suppliers on the drafting of the Code of Practice on supermarkets' relations with their suppliers.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has also received representations from supermarkets and supplier organisations on the draft Code. She is currently considering the Director General's advice on the draft Code.

Wind Turbines

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money the Government spent on promoting the generation of electricity using wind power in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01; and how much it plans to spend in the current financial year.

Brian Wilson: The table shows spending on wind power through the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO), the Scottish Renewables Order and the DTI's Sustainable Energy Programme.
	
		£ million 
		
			 Year NFFO Scottish Renewables Order DTI's Sustainable Energy Programme 
		
		
			 1997–98 36.8 3.9 1.6 
			 1998–99 35.1 5.4 1.4 
			 1999–2000 7.3 6.2 1.2 
			 2000–01 6.8 5.3 1.3 
			 2001–02 (4)1.8 (5)8.9 (5)2.5 
		
	
	(4) Spend to end June 2001
	(5) Estimate only
	An up-to-date estimate on the current year's financial expenditure on NFFO should be available following a re-profiling exercise which is currently being undertaken by the Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency (NFPA). Spend on wind power will, of course, only be one element of our total spend on renewables. The new Renewables Obligation will create a long-term market for renewables which will be worth over £1 billion per year by 2010. The Obligation will be the main mechanism by which we will meet our renewables targets and will be underpinned by direct Government funding worth over £260 million between 2001 and 2004. This will include an extensive capital grants programme, which will offer at least £49 million for the early deployment of offshore wind.

Small Business Council

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish a response to the Small Business Council's annual report.

Nigel Griffiths: The Government will be responding to the Small Business Council later this year and will make their response public.

Manufacturing (Rural Areas)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what help she makes available to manufacturing industry in rural areas.

Alan Johnson: Manufacturing companies in rural areas benefit from the policies we are pursuing to help the manufacturing sectors. The Department's support is wide-ranging: from schemes to encourage technology transfer and collaboration with the science base, to work with specific sectors on targeted programmes to enhance their competitiveness, to providing exporting services and regional and local assistance. In certain circumstances it is also possible for manufacturing companies in rural areas to benefit, along with other sectors, from the Regional Development Agencies' Rural Development Programme.

Telecommunications

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on the proposed de-merger of BT with MmO2 and BT wireless.

Douglas Alexander: The corporate structure of BT is a matter for the company and their shareholders and not for the Government. However the DTI and the Radiocommunications Agency remain in close touch with BT on the proposals and any regulatory concerns that may emerge.

Telecommunications

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the proposed roll-out of broadband into rural areas.

Douglas Alexander: The Government are working to ensure that broadband services are available in all parts of the country. To this end we are developing a strategy together with all interested parties. The £30 million fund for regional Development Agencies and the devolved Administrations is focused on extending broadband networks to those who are not offered access by the market, including in rural areas. The Countryside Agency also included broadband access and demand in its "healthchecks" on 100 market towns, while the devolved Administrations are carrying forward their own work on broadband in rural areas with our support and assistance.
	In addition, we are examining the scope for aggregating public sector demand in order to speed up the roll-out of broadband services to individuals and businesses in rural and other areas that service providers currently see as uncommercial.

Consumer Complaints

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints her Department has received 
	(1)  about (a) The Mortgage Group, (b) i group and (c) Ocwen.
	(2)  about the company trading as Crazy Georges.

Melanie Johnson: Under Exemption 4 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, the Department does not comment on whether or not it has received complaints about individual companies.
	This is because to do so could prejudice the outcome of any investigation into a complaint and any legal proceedings which might result from an investigation.

Gas and Electricity Suppliers

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 20 July 2001, Official Report, column 584W, to the hon. Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson), on energy, if she will ask the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets to compile a report on the doorstep selling practices of gas and electricity suppliers.

Brian Wilson: The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) monitors the performance of gas and electricity suppliers in all areas of marketing and sales, including doorstep selling. Where necessary it will take formal action against individual suppliers. However, in comparison with the high volume of transfers, consumer complaints about direct selling are relatively low. Between January and June 2001, the Gas and Electricity Consumer Council—Energywatch—received an average 0.67 per cent. complaints per 1,000 gas supply transfers and 0.63 per cent. per 1,000 electricity supply transfers. Nonetheless, given the distress that mis-selling can cause, I will shortly write to gas and electricity suppliers setting out my concerns about the negative impacts that mis-selling can have, both on individual customers and on the competitive market as a whole.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to inform Parliament about the Government's future negotiating position on the General Agreement on Trade in Services. [R]

Nigel Griffiths: Parliament approved the objective of sustainable development through progressive liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services as part of its support for the results of the Uruguay Round. The DTI has been consulting on the current GATS negotiations since 1998. Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise the results of negotiations.

SMART Development (Hull)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms in the Hull area have received SMART development money over the past five years; and if she will indicate the companies concerned and the amounts involved.

Nigel Griffiths: The following businesses in the Hull Travel-to-Work Area have been offered Smart or SPUR awards since 1 April 1996:
	
		
			 Financial year/name of business Type of award  Value of grant offer (£) 
		
		
			 1996–97   
			 Ion Coat Ltd. SMART(6) 45,000 
			 Newlands Technology Ltd. SMART 45,000 
			 Nucleus SMART 45,000 
			 Electronic Automation Ltd. SPUR(7) 123,985 
			 Colt Industrial Services Ltd. SPUR 22,500 
			
			 1997–98   
			 Applied Analysis Ltd. Smart 43,890 
			 Flexible Fabric Consulting Smart 45,000 
			 Smart Solutions Smart 37,145 
			 KTP Ltd. SPUR(8) 74,900 
			
			 1998–99   
			 Colt Industrial Services Ltd. Smart 96,177 
			 Commercial Systems Ltd. Smart 45,000 
			 Ebortec Ltd. Smart 44,880 
			 Eurosere UK Ltd. Smart 45,000 
			 Ion Coat Ltd. Smart 88,390 
			 Scope Engineering Ltd. Smart 21,565 
			 Essential Nutrition Ltd. SPUR(8) 89,250 
			 1999–2000   
			 Broady Valves Ltd. Smart 36,360 
			 Newlands Technology Ltd Smart 44,353 
			 Partoria Engineering Ltd. Smart 35,908 
			 Precision Drilling 2000 Ltd. Smart 45,000 
			
			 2000–01   
			 Condor Projects Ltd. Smart 18,750 
			 Z-Cars Ltd. Smart Micro(9) 10,000 
			
			 2001–02   
			 Clearview Ltd. Smart 35,678 
		
	
	(6) SMART was merged with SPUR on 1 April 1997 to form a new Smart scheme, to provide grants for feasibility studies and development projects
	(7) SPUR provided grants for development projects
	(8) Although SPUR was closed on 31 March 1997, a small number of former SMART award winners were still eligible to apply for SPUR awards after that date
	(9) Smart Micro Projects were introduced in October 1999. Grants are provided towards the costs of developing simple prototypes

Assisted Areas

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the areas in receipt of assisted area status may be changed through the Assisted Areas Order 2000 prior to the expiry of that Order in 2006.

Alan Johnson: As I told the hon. Member on 19 July 2001, Official Report, column 326W, the Government are not planning to review the assisted areas until it is necessary to develop proposals for the period after 2006.

RDAs (Tourism)

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money (a) Yorkshire Forward, (b) One North East, (c) East of England, (d) South West of England, (e) South East of England, (f) East Midlands, (g) Advantage West Midlands and (h) North West Development Agency have made available to the tourism industry.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The tourism industry benefits substantially from spending all of the Regional Development Agencies' main programmes including SRB and Rural Regeneration. It is also a particular focus of the Business Recovery Fund for foot and mouth disease established by the RDAs largely with extra resources. With an increasing budget, greater flexibility and increased economic focus, the RDAs can continue to build on their support for the tourism industry. Figures for the total spending on the tourism industry are not available because records are maintained on a programme rather than business sector basis.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Staff

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will estimate the number of staff employed by her Department by region and nation of the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development currently employs 796 permanent staff in London and 483 in Scotland.

Departmental Staff

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will estimate total annual staff costs for her Department and its agencies by nation and region of the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Within the UK, DFID staff are located in London and Scotland only. In 2001–02, we estimate we will spend approximately £28 million on the pay and related costs of staff based in London; and approximately £10 million on the equivalent costs of staff in Scotland.

Departmental Staff

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of each Civil Service grade in her Department is located in each region and nation of the UK; what the average salary is for each grade; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development currently employs 796 staff in London and 483 staff in Scotland. The table gives the detailed information requested.
	
		
			 Grade equivalent Number(10) Proportion of those in grade Average salary(11) (£) 
		
		
			 London
			 SCS 54 91.5 64,187 
			 G6 128 96.97 47,443 
			 G7 188 90.38 37,617 
			 SEO 60 60.6 28,492 
			 HEO 143 70.1 24,238 
			 HEO(D) 52 94.55 23,773 
			 EO 144 51.99 18,747 
			 AO 153 47.52 15,489 
			 AA 54 52.43 12,763 
			 
			 Scotland
			 SCS 5 8.5 62,589 
			 G6 4 3.03 44,430 
			 G7 20 9.62 33,952 
			 SEO 39 39.4 25,985 
			 HEO 61 29.9 21,577 
			 HEO(D) 3 5.45 20,434 
			 EO 133 48.01 16,893 
			 AO 169 52.48 13,083 
			 AA 49 47.57 9,986 
		
	
	(10) The figures include 180 of our overseas staff who are normally UK-based and are paid London salaries which cannot be disaggregated in our calculations
	(11) These figures are for August 2000 salaries. The pay award for August 2001 has yet to be finalised

London Weighting

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will estimate the total value of London weightings and London living allowances for her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: On 1 April 1996, following annual pay negotiations with Trade Union representatives and a ballot of staff, London Weighting was fully consolidated into pay for all permanent staff below the Senior Civil Service. For the Senior Civil Service, with the agreement of all those involved, London Weighting was fully consolidated into pay on 1 January 1999.
	It is not however possible to estimate the total value of this in current salaries. Individual salaries are based on a number of factors, including performance year on year. Therefore, although the average salary is higher in London at all grades, the difference cannot be fully attributed to the element previously paid separately as London Weighting Allowance.

Departmental Properties

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will estimate the total running costs for buildings used, owned or rented by her Department for each nation and region of the UK, and estimate the average cost per square metre for properties used by her Department as a whole, and by region and nation of the UK.

Hilary Benn: The estimated total annual costs of our accommodation in our two UK locations, central London and East Kilbride, are as set out in the table. These costs include rent (applicable in the case of central London but not East Kilbride), rates, utilities, service charges, maintenance and minor works, cleaning and security.
	
		£ 
		
			 Location Total running costs Cost per sq m 
		
		
			 Central London 7,500,000 504 
			 East Kilbride 840,000 81 
			 Overall 8,340,000 330

Departmental Spending

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total amount of spending by her Department was in each nation and region of the UK, in the last year for which figures are available; what proportion of her Department's total spending this constitutes; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The vast majority of DFID's expenditure is targeted at or in aid recipient countries, with very limited expenditure occurring in the UK, which we are unable to identify separately let alone split between regions and nations. However, the total cost of administering the UK's development assistance programme from DFID's HQs in London and Scotland was estimated at £80 million in 2000–01, the latest year for which such figures are available. This figure comprises salary costs and associated overheads and represents almost 3 per cent. of the Department's total spending in 2000–01. We estimate that this is split in a ratio of 3:1 between London and Scotland ie at 2 per cent. and 0.7 per cent. respectively.

Special Advisers and Press Officers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers were employed (i) full-time, (ii) part-time and (iii) on a contract basis by her Department in each year since 1992.

Hilary Benn: At any one time since 1997, two special advisers have been employed full-time. None were employed before that date, or on a part-time or contract basis since then.
	Four full-time press officers have been employed since 1996. We do not have records which enable us to provide accurate information before that time.

Ministerial Travel

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  on how many occasions in each year since 1992 non-commercial flights were used by ministers in her Department for official overseas visits; what the (a) destination, (b) ministers involved, (c) cost and (d) reason for use of non-commercial flights were on each occasion; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will list all official overseas visits undertaken by ministers in her Department in each year since May 1997, indicating (a) the cost in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, (b) the number and grade of (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers accompanying ministers and (c) the number of official engagements or meetings undertaken on each visit; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 823W.

Correspondence

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what was, for each year since 1995, the average response time for providing a substantive answer to (a) hon. Members' correspondence, (b) correspondence from members of the public and (c) written parliamentary questions in the (i) Commons and (ii) Lords;
	(2)  if she will place in the Library for each year since 1995 the total number of (a) letters from hon. Members, (b) letters from members of the public and (c) parliamentary questions from (i) hon. Members and (ii) Lords dealt with by her Department; what percentage took (A) more than one month and (B) more than three months to provide a substantive answer; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The effective handling of correspondence and PQs is an issue to which we attach great importance.
	General information on the volumes of correspondence received across Whitehall and on overall performance is published by the Cabinet Office. Figures for 2000 were published on 6 April 2001, Official Report, columns 324–28W, and on 19 July 2001, Official Report, columns 454–56W.
	We aim to answer all ordinary written parliamentary questions for the House of Commons within five working days, and named day written parliamentary questions on the day named. The office aims to answer written parliamentary questions for the House of Lords within 10 working days.
	The Department for International Development has answered a total of 215 parliamentary questions in both Houses so far this Session.

Afghanistan

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what money the European Union intends to make available for Afghan refugees who are (a) outside and (b) within Afghanistan; and when the funding will be made available.

Clare Short: The EC has disbursed C=45 million (UK share £8.5 million) of humanitarian and food aid during 2001 to Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons, most of this before 11 September. A further C=8 million (UK share £1.5 million) of food aid has been pledged to the World Food Programme but not yet delivered. A further C=25 million (UK share £4.7 million) has been pledged by the Commission and should be disbursed later this month. Most of this is channelled through UN agencies and the ICRC, the rest through NGOs.
	C=22.5 million (UK share £4.4 million) of separate funds will shortly be available for longer term support for refugees in the region, which the Commission aims to disburse in January 2002. This will also be channelled through UN agencies and NGOs.
	The Commission is reviewing its plans for 2002. My Department will stay in close touch with them as part of our effort to ensure that the international response to the crisis is Afghanistan is as closely co-ordinated and effective as possible.

Afghanistan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the amount of aid required to prevent starvation in Afghanistan; how much aid has been sent into that country; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The World Food Programme (WFP) is responsible for overseeing food aid assistance on behalf of the international community. It estimates that some 52,000 metric tonnes of food are required each month for the 7.5 million most vulnerable Afghans. Since 11 September, WFP has made some progress, having distributed around 15,000 metric tonnes of food inside Afghanistan. However more needs to be done to provide for the Afghan people and lay down stores for the winter.
	As I announced last week, we are setting aside £40 million for immediate assistance to the people of Afghanistan. As part of our strategy, we continue to support the WFP and its implementing partners in trying to overcome a number of operational constraints on delivering assistance to Afghans in need. This includes £3 million for the WFP to support its operations in the region.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Afghanistan

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Solicitor-General if she has provided advice on the legality of each target in Afghanistan which has been bombed since 7 October.

Harriet Harman: As chief legal advisers to Her Majesty's Government, the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General are available to advise the Government on all questions of international and domestic law. In this capacity the Law Officers have been asked to advise, from time to time, on legal issues relating to the use of force. This has included the right of self-defence as recognised in Article 51 of the UN Charter and international humanitarian law. There is a long-standing convention that neither the substance of the Law Officers' advice, nor the fact that they have been consulted, is disclosed outside Government.
	The Campaign Objectives on defeating international terrorism, placed in the Library of the House of Commons, make clear the Government's commitment to acting in conformity with international law, including the UK Charter and international humanitarian law.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

Marion Roe: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps the Commission is taking in respect of the expiration of the current term of appointment of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in February 2002.

Archy Kirkwood: The appointment of the current Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Mrs. Elizabeth Filkin, ends in February 2002. The House of Commons Commission has considered how best to fill the post for the future. It has decided that there should be an open competition through advertisement in the national press as part of the overall selection process. As a result of the sifting and initial interview process, a shortlist will be drawn up for final interview. The Commission hopes to be able to make a recommendation to the House early in 2002. The competition will be organised to meet the appropriate standards for senior appointments, including equality of opportunity and selection on merit.
	The competition will be open to existing members of staff, including Mrs. Filkin, as well as to external applicants. In the event of Mrs. Filkin wishing to enter the selection process, she would take part in the final short list stage when candidates were interviewed by the Commission.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

English Heritage

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects a new Chief Executive to be appointed to English Heritage.

Kim Howells: English Heritage advertised for a new chief executive on 9 September and are considering the applications they received. They plan to hold interviews in mid-November and hope to make an appointment at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, Carole Souter has been appointed as Acting Chief Executive.

WPC Kaur

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what briefings she has received on the progress of the Croydon Employment Tribunal case involving her, the Royal Parks Constabulary and WPC Kaur;
	(2)  if she will estimate the cost to her Department's budget of preparing for and the hearing of the employment discrimination case of WPC Kaur;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on (a) the claim and (b) the response in her name to the discrimination case of WPC Kaur;
	(4)  if she will discuss the discrimination claim of WPC Kaur with (a) the operational head of the Royal Parks Constabulary and (b) the Police Inspectorate.

Kim Howells: Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, William Weston. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from William Weston to Peter Bottomley, dated 18 October 2001
	I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the Employment Tribunal involving WPC Kaur, because this is an operational matter for which the Royal Parks Agency is responsible.
	We have fully briefed the Secretary of State on the case, and the decision to defend it. There is no need to keep her informed of the case as it progresses, but we shall, of course, inform her of the outcome and of any issues that arise from it. She will make a statement on the case, if it is appropriate for her to do so, depending on its outcome. It would be inappropriate for her to discuss the case with the Police Inspectorate because the Royal Parks Constabulary is not a Home Office Police Force.
	The Agency's legal fees up to the time that the hearing began were approximately £53,500, to which will have to be added counsel's fees for presenting the case and the costs of the RPC officers involved (and of former officers who now work for the British Transport Police) attending throughout the hearing. These can not be reasonably estimated until we know how long the hearing will last, and the full costs of the case cannot be assessed until the outcome is known.

Football

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much has been invested by the Government in the promotion of grassroots football in the years (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the Government's support for the promotion of grassroots football.

Richard Caborn: Support for grassroots sport is a Government priority. As the nation's most popular participatory sport, football has a vital role to play in increasing levels of participation. The Government's support for grassroots football has been channelled through the Football Foundation since July 2000. In 2000–01, the Foundation received £7 million in Lottery funding from Sport England and £3.4 million from the Reduction in Pools Betting Duty, and the majority of this went to funding the sport at the grassroots. A further £30 million has been ring-fenced for football in the New Opportunities Fund's PE and school sport programme.
	Prior to 2000–01, grants of Lottery funding to the Football Association's youth development programmes were made by Sport England, and totalled £20 million between 1995 and 1999. Children's and recreational football also benefited during this period from substantial Sport England Lottery funding for multi-use capital projects, and the financial benefits to grassroots football cannot be quantified.
	Additional, direct Government funding for the FA's grassroots work totalled £165,000 in 1998–99 and £144,000 in 1999–2000.

Football

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with representatives of the Nationwide Conference League on its proposal to increase the number of teams promoted into the football league.

Richard Caborn: This is a matter for the football authorities. However, I met the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nationwide Conference on 16 July to discuss a range of non-league football matters including the proposal for an additional promotion and relegation place to and from the football league. My officials have also discussed the progress of negotiations with the Conference over recent months.

Films

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on Government support for the distribution of UK-produced films.

Kim Howells: As part of its objective to help develop a sustainable British film industry, the Film Council is looking at the question of support for the UK film distribution sector. The Film Council currently invests in individual film productions which can, on a case-by-case basis, include support for the distribution of that film in the UK.

Films

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many British-made films have benefited from EU funds in the last five years; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will list the films produced in the UK in the last five years which have received EU funds, stating the sum involved in each case.

Kim Howells: EU funding for film over the last five years was discharged through the MEDIA II programme. The MEDIA programme is intended to encourage the development of European films and the distribution of films around Europe. The total funding awarded by MEDIA II to UK films in the last five years was approximately 14 million euros (approximately £8.8 million at today's rates) for film development and approximately 38 million euros (approximately £23.9 million at today's rates) for theatrical film distribution. The distribution figure was the sum awarded outside the UK for distribution of British films in Europe.
	I am placing more detailed information on the MEDIA II Programme and the awards made in the Libraries of both Houses.

Departmental Spending

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will estimate total annual staff costs for her Department and its agencies by nation and region of the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My Department's estimated total costs are £20.97 million—London: £20.58 million, Regions: £0.39 million.

Youth Hostel Association

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received on the financial loss being experienced by the Youth Hostel Association; if she will introduce grant aid; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We have received a number of representations on the Youth Hostel Association's financial losses. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Rural Affairs has met representatives of the YHA to discuss their difficulties and possible sources of help. I am also due to meet them shortly. The Minister for Rural Affairs is currently considering, in the light of the recommendations of the Rural Task Force published yesterday, what further help might be made available to the YHA.

Rugby

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the 2001 Super League Grand Final.

Richard Caborn: I was at Old Trafford for the Grand Final and enjoyed watching a tremendous game with the Bradford Bulls playing superb rugby.
	I was pleased to be part of the presentation party presenting the winners trophy to Bradford Bulls Team Captain Robby Paul and reiterate my congratulations to the whole team.

Rugby

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance she has provided to the Rugby Football League to persuade the Australian Rugby League authorities to continue with the tour of Great Britain.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend has had no direct involvement with the Rugby Football League on this matter. However, I have been in regular contact with the RFL.

Tourism

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding she makes available to local authorities to establish tourism officers.

Kim Howells: Funding is allowed for tourism as part of the Environmental Protective and Cultural Services block of the Rate Support Grant and it is up to individual local authorities to allocate their funds in accordance with statutory requirements and local needs and priorities. We are keen that local authorities both recognise the true significance of tourism to their local economies and community well-being and also ensure that they have sufficient data to make informed decisions about allocating their resources, whether in relation to provision of tourism infrastructure, services, personnel or marketing.

Tourism

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to promote rural tourism.

Kim Howells: At the regional, national and international level, new tourist websites and visitor hotlines have provided exposure and a clear picture of what rural Britain can offer. Leaflet information has also been used successfully. Much of the £18 million in additional funding provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to the British Tourist Authority (BTA) and English Tourism Council (ETC) has been used in a strategic advertising and marketing campaigns to motivate potential customers and provide information on what is available. Furthermore, DCMS Ministers attended a number of high profile domestic events to increase rural tourism's exposure and encourage visitors.

Tourism

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she intends to make tourist boards co-terminous with regional areas.

Kim Howells: It is not within Government's powers to direct the Regional Tourist Boards (RTBs) on this issue as they are not public bodies—almost all are private companies limited by guarantee. While they do receive some public funding from this Department (via the English Tourism Council), they are funded primarily by their members and from their commercial activities. Thus they need valid commercial reasons to choose to change their boundaries to be in line with other regional partners. In principle we would like to see all RTBs having the same boundaries as the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and closer alignment is happening in many regions, although in some cases two RTBs share one RDA area or vice versa.

Tourism

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 17 July 2001, Official Report, column 151W, on tourism, which representatives of the (a) Scotland Office, (b) Scottish Executive and (c) Scottish Tourist Board attended the United Kingdom summit on tourism on 6 March. [R]

Kim Howells: Alasdair Morrison MSP, Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and Gaelic in the Scottish Executive, who attended in March 2000, was invited to the second annual Tourism Summit 6 March 2001, but was unable to attend due to prior commitments on that date. A draft report of the Summit was circulated to Ministers for clearance, including Alasdair Morrison, prior to its publication on the DCMS website (www.culture.gov.uk).

Museums

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what help her Department makes available to small municipal museums.

Kim Howells: My Department provides annual funding to Resource: the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, which acts as a strategic champion for the museums sector. Resource in turn funds Area Museum Councils in each of the English regions to provide advice and assistance to museums of all types.
	In December 2000 my right hon. Friend the Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) announced the creation of a Task Force to report to Government on the nature of the problems facing regional museums and how these problems can be solved. I expect that the Task Force will publish its report shortly. The Department will consider its policies and priorities for regional museums, in consultation with Resource, in the light of that report.

Sport England

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals she has to strengthen the regional structures of Sport England.

Richard Caborn: In terms of delivering and supporting sport development through revenue programmes, guidance and advice, Sport England regional offices are well placed to take a strategic lead locally. DCMS is currently engaged in the second stage of a quinquennial review of Sport England, which includes a specific element relating to Sport England's regional role and structure. I expect the review to be completed early in the New Year, at which point I will discuss its findings with the new chief executive of Sport England, who is currently being recruited, and with Sport England's Council members, with a view to implementing the recommendations on Sport England's regional presence as promptly as possible.

Walkers

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the impact has been of the foot and mouth outbreak on walking holidays in this year's tourist season.

Kim Howells: No specific figures on the impact of the foot and mouth outbreak on walking holidays are available. Our best estimate to date is that the loss of revenue in 2001–02 by the English tourist industry is likely to be about £3.3 billion in "value added" terms over the eight month period under consideration (March to October). We will continue to revise the model on which this estimate is based in the light of the latest available data.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Music Lessons

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of pupils in state maintained schools who were given lessons in playing a musical instrument without parental contribution to the cost in the last 12 months; and what percentage this represents of the total number of children receiving such tuition in maintained schools.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The Department does not collect this information centrally. It is up to each LEA to devise its own policy on whether to charge for instrumental music tuition provided outside of the National Curriculum.
	We are committed, however, to supporting instrumental music tuition. The Music Standards Fund was introduced to halt the decline in LEA music services. Between 1999 and 2004, £270 million has been made available to protect and expand local music services. We have also pledged that, over time, all primary school pupils who want to will be able to learn a musical instrument. This is an important part of our drive to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their background, have access to a wide range of extra- curricular activities.

Engineering GCSE

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if a new vocational GCSE in engineering will be offered from 2003.

Ivan Lewis: The new GCSE in engineering will be introduced from September 2002.

Playing Fields

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have sold off playing fields each year since 1991.

Stephen Timms: Before October 1998 there was nothing to prevent a local authority selling a school playing field if it wanted to. Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was introduced in October 1998 to stop the indiscriminate sale of school playing fields. Local authorities and governing bodies of all maintained schools are now required to obtain the Secretary of State's consent before disposing of playing fields or any part of a playing field.
	Since October 1998, 101 applications to sell areas equal to, or larger than, a sports pitch have been approved. These approved applications can be broken down for each year since the law was changed as follows:
	
		
			 Year Approved applications 
		
		
			 1998 7 
			 1999 44 
			 2000 31 
			 2001 19 
		
	
	Applications to sell school playing fields are approved only where it is clear that any proceeds will be used to improve or enhance school sports provision or education facilities. All applications made since mid-July this year are scrutinised by the independent School Playing Fields Advisory Panel to make sure that they conform to published criteria. The Panel comprises representatives from the National Playing Fields Association, the Central Council of Physical Recreation, the education organisation Learning through Landscapes, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Local Government Association.
	40 per cent. of approved applications were in respect of sports pitches at closed or closing schools. In 67 per cent. of cases at operating schools, the sale proceeds have been used to provide new or enhanced sports facilities, including sports halls, all-weather pitches or improved grass pitches.

Student Maintenance

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the future of student tuition fees and loans.

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the Government's proposals for student maintenance in higher education.

Margaret Hodge: We are currently reviewing the student funding arrangements. We need to ensure that we have an appropriate balance between the contribution made by students, their families and the state to support our ambitions to widen access to and participation in higher education. A range of policy options is being considered. No decisions have been taken.

Further Education

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on funding arrangements for staff in FE, with special reference to pay and enhanced training.

Margaret Hodge: The total funding allocated for further education this year is just over £4 billion, rising to £4.3 billion in 2002–03. Colleges make their own arrangements for staff pay and conditions within the funding available to them from the Learning and Skills Council and other sources.
	We are investing £300 million in the Teaching Pay Initiative (TPI) over the next three years to allow colleges to reward high-quality teaching. An additional £5 million is available for TPI in 2002–03 to support modernising pay arrangements. Payments under TPI are separate from any general pay rise a teacher may receive.
	£80 million is available to colleges (including sixth form colleges) this year from the Standards Fund, and £90 million next year, to support the professional development of existing staff and for the initial training of unqualified new entrants to the profession.

Further Education

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) number and (b) proportion of further education colleges employ lecturing staff on banded pay scales that prevent progress to the top of the main grade lecturer scale.

John Healey: The Department does not collect this information.
	FE sector colleges are run by independent corporations established under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 and there is no national pay structure in place. Colleges are free to establish banded pay scales where these meet their needs and can be agreed with their staff. We continue to encourage employers and unions to work together to offer further education staff reasonable pay within the substantial extra funding that has been made available for the FE sector.

Special Educational Needs

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will bring forward a revised draft code of practice for special educational needs; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 15 October 2001
	A revised draft Code of Practice will be laid before the House as soon as possible. It will contain revised wording on the quantification of provision in statements of special educational needs and, subject to parliamentary approval, is planned to take effect from January 2002.

Specialist Schools

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list each school that has been granted specialist college status in the years (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01 and list for each the sources of sponsorship to meet the sponsorship criteria.

Stephen Timms: Detailed information on the sources of sponsorship can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Sources of sponsorship may be categorised as follows:
	(a) large national organisations (companies and company or other charitable foundations) usually donating through the Technology Colleges Trust;
	(b) local businesses from large to very small, usually donating direct to the school;
	(c) school foundation funds;
	(d) donations from individuals;
	(e) parent teacher association fundraising;
	(f) public-private partnership arrangements;
	(g) profits from formally constituted school trading companies.

School Closures

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in rural areas have been closed each year since 1991.

Stephen Timms: The Department does not have reliable data on a year-by-year basis on the number of rural schools closed between 1991 and 1997. We estimate that in the period 1983 to the beginning of 1998 around 450 rural primary schools closed. Since we introduced our current policy, with a presumption against the closure of rural schools, in February 1998, the number of rural schools approved for closure has been as follows.
	1997: 4
	1998: 5 1999: 2
	2000: 2
	2001: 3.

Education Costs (Recovery)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what powers exist to recover the cost of education provided at public expense to those ineligible to receive such education;
	(2)  how much was recovered, in the last year for which information is available, of the cost of education provided at public expense to those ineligible to receive such education; and how much is estimated to remain uncollected.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 16 October 2001
	All school children living in Britain are eligible to receive education free of charge provided by local education authorities. This Government have already extended free nursery education for four-year-olds and will do so for every three-year-old, whose parents want it, by 2004. For higher education, the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2001 determine the eligibility of students to receive financial support and the circumstances in which such costs can be recovered from ineligible students. Information on costs recovered from higher education students who are found to be ineligible are unobtainable, as these repayments are not differentiated from other forms of repayments from eligible students.

Nursery Places

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children aged three years obtained nursery places in the years (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001.

Stephen Timms: The following table shows the number of three-year-olds in early education places in England from 1997 to 2001 based on the position at January each year.
	It is the Government's stated intention that every three-year-old in England, whose parents want one, will have a free nursery education place by September 2004.
	Final figures information for 2001 will be published in the Statistical Bulletin "Provision for Children Under Five years of age in January 2001" at the end of November.
	
		Number of three-year-olds(12),(13),(14) by type of early years education provider in England 1997–2001—position as at January each year
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 (15)2001 
		
		
			  Private, voluntary and independent providers(16) 
			 Number of three-year-olds (17)— (17)— (17)— 294,700 312,300 
			 of which:  
			 Number of funded places(18) (17)— (17)— (17)— 39,500 123,000 
			   
			 Maintained schools(19)  
			 Number of three-year olds 217,000 224,600 228,200 232,200 229,100 
		
	
	(12) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year
	(13) Rounded to the nearest hundred
	(14) Any child attending more than one provider may have been counted twice
	(15) Provisional
	(16) Includes Independent schools
	(17) Information was not collected for Providers other than Independent schools
	(18) Children aged three with providers who claim Nursery Education Grant. Figures include independent schools
	(19) Includes maintained nursery, primary and special schools. Places are all funded

Temporary Classrooms (Upminster)

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many temporary classrooms have been in use in Upminster in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: We do not have information on Upminster's temporary buildings at this localised level of detail. Essex local education authority may be able to provide this information.
	In connection with the Department's arrangements for appraising asset management plans, we are planning to publish later this year analyses of authorities' premises information for benchmarking purposes. These should include information on temporary accommodation in Essex local education authority, although not on a year- by-year basis.

SCOTLAND

Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment she has made of the economic impact of the postponement of the construction of the Prestwick air traffic control centre (a) locally and (b) on Scotland.

Helen Liddell: The Scotland Office is closely monitoring the situation regarding the new centre. As the decision by NATS to review the phasing of the Scottish centre was taken only recently, detailed impacts, if any, of the decision are not yet known.
	All parties involved in this project remain committed to investing in the new Scottish centre at Prestwick. This project will deliver significant benefits both for Ayrshire and Scotland as a whole through construction work and highly skilled operational staff.

Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what meetings she (a) has had and (b) has planned to discuss the postponement of the construction of the Prestwick air traffic control centre.

Helen Liddell: The Scotland Office is in regular contact with the relevant parties in relation to the Prestwick air traffic control centre. The events of 11 September have had an effect on air movements, which has given rise to a review of the phasing of NATS capital investment plan. As a result, the new centre will have a later operational date than originally planned. All parties involved remain committed to investment in the new Scottish centre at Prestwick and to complete this important project.

Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations she has received from National Air Traffic Control about the postponement of the construction of the Prestwick air traffic control centre.

Helen Liddell: I receive representations on a wide variety of issues concerning reserved matters in Scotland. The Scotland Office, both at ministerial and official level, is in close contact with all the relevant parties concerning the future of the new Scottish centre at Prestwick.

Boundary Commission

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the timetable for (a) publication and (b) implementation of Boundary Commission proposals for Scotland.

Helen Liddell: holding answer 16 October 2001
	The Boundary Commission for Scotland is required, by the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, to submit its report to me between December 2002 and December 2006.
	As soon as may be after the Commission has submitted its report, I am required under section 3(5) of the 1986 Act to lay the report before Parliament, together with the draft of an Order in Council for giving effect, with or without modifications, to the recommendations in the report.

TREASURY

Working Families Tax Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the major promotional activity that has occurred to publicise the working families tax credit since it was introduced; and what future plans the Government have to publicise the benefit.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been three major campaigns to publicise the WFTC between September 1999 and November 2000.
	Posters and leaflets in Job Centres and other outlets have supported TV and press advertisements, and Ministers led a series of roadshows throughout the UK.
	A freephone line (now replaced by 0845 number) has backed up all advertising.
	We will continue to advertise existing tax credits until the new ones are in place. WFTC reminder press and radio will run in October/November.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) South Africa, (b) Mozambique, (c) Malawi, (d) Botswana, (e) Angola and (f) Nigeria regarding the status of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting originally scheduled for 6–9 October.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the status of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, originally scheduled for 6–9 October, with the Governments of South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana, Angola and Nigeria. This is the responsibility of the Commonwealth Secretary General.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe with the Governments of (a) South Africa, (b) Mozambique, (c) Malawi, (d) Botswana, (e) Angola and (f) Nigeria; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: We remain concerned about the situation in Zimbabwe. We are in close contact with other Commonwealth and SADC partners, particularly concerning the commitments made by Zimbabwe to the Commonwealth at a meeting in Abuja on 6 September. Since the visit to Harare by five SADC Heads of State on 10–11 September, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to the President of Malawi on 9 October. My noble Friend Baroness Amos has spoken to the President of Nigeria on 17 and 18 September and the Foreign Minister of Mozambique on 19 September. My noble Friend also attended the EU/Africa meeting in Brussels on 11 October and took the opportunity to speak to other representatives of African Governments.

Middle East

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to help bring about a lasting ceasefire between the Israeli and Palestinian forces; and if it is his policy to support the establishment of a free Palestinian State.

Ben Bradshaw: The primary responsibility to bring the violence to a halt rests with both parties concerned. We are actively engaged with them to ensure that the ceasefire commitments they have made are turned into reality on the ground. We are urging them to build on the dialogue re-established by Chairman Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Peres, and to implement swiftly and in full the recommendations of the Mitchell Committee.
	The British Government support the right of the Palestinian people to establish a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian state and look forward to early fulfilment of this right, provided there is a concomitant recognition of Israel's right as a state, and the right of its citizens to live in peace with security. Peace between Israel and the Palestinians will only come through a political process which implements 'land for peace', delivers security for Israel within recognised borders, brings an end to occupation, and allows the emergence of a viable, democratic and peaceful Palestinian state committed to co-existence with Israel, and recognised and respected by Israel. Such an outcome would be a major contribution to regional stability.

Departmental Staff

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the number of staff employed by his Department by region and nation of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 1009–12W.

Devolved Administrations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department giving evidence to (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) Welsh Assembly and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly Committees; and to what categories of document he gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (1) Scottish parliament, (2) Welsh Assembly, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons Select committees.

Jack Straw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 1003–05W.

Entry Clearance Applications

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for entry clearance as (a) spouse and (b) fiancée were received at British posts around the world in each of the last five years; and how many of those applications were refused because the entry clearance officer was not satisfied that the couple intended to live together permanently.

Ben Bradshaw: Records do not distinguish between those applications submitted by spouses or fiance(e)s and other settlement categories. Nor are refusal reasons collated. To ask all the 165 Entry Clearance Posts to provide this information now would require them to carry out a manual search of their records. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Human Rights Report

Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual report on human rights will be published.

Peter Hain: The FCO annual report on human rights was laid before Parliament as a Command Paper on Monday 17 September 2001. Copies were placed in the Libraries of the House and distributed throughout Parliament in the usual way. The report is on the FCO website www.hrpd.fco.gov.uk and is available through the Stationery Office.

Kosovo

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about recent export licences for military listed equipment to Kosovo.

Denis MacShane: The Government have recently issued licences for the export of the following military listed goods:
	Bulletproof vests for use by the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) which will provide protection against the threat posed by small arms.
	A cab control box for use by the Irish contingent of Kosovo Force (KFOR). It is a logistical piece of equipment that offers remote control operation from within the cab of a military cargo vehicle to load and unload paletted loads such as fuel, ammunition or temporary accommodation, allowing the operator to remain in the cab in potentially dangerous situations.
	Protective body armour for use by Ronco Consulting Corporation who are engaged in humanitarian demining activities on behalf of the UN Mine Action Co-ordination Centre in Kosovo.
	Protective body armour and components for UNMIK for use by the Kosovo Police Service, which provides protection against the threat posed by small arms.
	When the export licences were issued for these goods, the FRY was subject to an EU arms embargo (EU Common Position 96/184/CFSP). The decisions on these exports were part of the Government's continuing support for the peaceful reconstruction of Kosovo and were in the Government's view, within the spirit of the embargo, which was subsequently lifted on 8 October 2001, following the removal of the UN arms embargo on 10 September.

Christians

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had recently with the (a) Church of England, (b) Roman Catholic Church and (c) Free churches on the suppression of Christian minorities in different parts of the world.

Peter Hain: Promotion of human rights is at the heart of our foreign policy and we regard religious freedom as a fundamental human right. We condemn instances where individuals are persecuted because of their faith, wherever it happens and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned.
	We take every opportunity, often working with our EU partners, to urge states to pursue laws and practices which foster tolerance and mutual respect and to protect religious minorities against discrimination, intimidation and attacks. We regularly raise specific cases of religious persecution with the governments concerned.
	This Government greatly value dialogue with civil society and have worked to strengthen it. Ministers and officials regularly discuss human rights concerns in a range of countries with non-governmental groups. For example, officials from our African Department Equatorial met staff from the Offices of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Guildford before their visits to Nigeria; and last year in Sudan we helped with the Anglican Church's Centenary celebrations and with the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
	The FCO also organises an ad-hoc Contact Group on international religious freedom. The next meeting is due to take place in December. This meeting is attended by a range of organisations, including different Christian denominations.

Christians

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had recently with (a) the Sudan, (b) Nigeria, and (c) Indonesia on their Governments' treatment of Christians.

Ben Bradshaw: We are concerned about the human rights of all in Sudan, Nigeria and Indonesia, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. The people of Sudan, including its Christian communities, have certainly suffered as a result of Sudan's civil war. We have a regular dialogue with the parties in Sudan to encourage them to work towards a lasting and just peace settlement. Only when there is peace can the human rights of all Sudanese be safeguarded. In addition we make representations to the Government of Sudan about individual cases which cause us concern. We continue to work with the Churches, both in Sudan and the UK, as they have an important role to play in the search for peace.
	The Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all citizens. The Federal States maintain that the introduction of the Sharia penal code is a matter for them not the Government. But they also stress that the code does not apply to non-Muslims unless the latter so choose. Our High Commissioner in Abuja has regular contact will all States' Governors.
	We raise human rights issues with the Indonesian authorities, both bilaterally and through the European Union, at every opportunity. I did so most recently when I met Vice-President Hamzah Haz and the Attorney- General in Jakarta on 27 August 2001.

Underwater Cultural Heritage

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to support the UNESCO Convention on the protection of the underwater cultural heritage at the 31 session from 15 October to 3 November.

Peter Hain: Her Majesty's Government are still considering the text of the draft UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage which as been submitted by an expert working group to the UNESCO General Conference later this month.

Overseas Ministers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his practice to notify hon. Members of visits to their constituencies by Ministers of overseas Governments when those visits are accompanied by Government officials.

Denis MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is rightly proud of the large number of visits to the UK by overseas Ministers. The degree of Foreign and Commonwealth Office involvement is determined by the nature of the visit and the programme content. Unfortunately, Foreign and Commonwealth Office resource constraints dictate that it is not possible to undertake to notify hon. Members every time an overseas Minister visits their constituency. I am unable to answer for the practice of other Government Departments.

Overseas Ministers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visits made by Ministers of the New Zealand Government to the United Kingdom since 7 June, listing in each case the constituencies visited.

Denis MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to offer a warm welcome to the many ministerial visitors from New Zealand who visit the UK in both an official and private capacity. The degree of official Foreign and Commonwealth Office involvement and contact is determined by the nature of the visit and the programme content. Since 7 June we are aware of four visits to the UK by Ministers of the New Zealand Government: Ms Margaret Wilson, Attorney General and Minister of Labour; Mr. Trevor Mallard, the Minister of Education; Mr. Phil Goff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Mr. Michael Cullen, the Minister of Finance. All four visit programmes were not arranged by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and I am unable to confirm all of the constituencies they might have visited.

Overseas Ministers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visits made by Ministers of overseas Governments to the Isle of Wight since 7 June.

Denis MacShane: The UK is a popular destination for overseas Ministers. Many visit frequently on official business and in a private capacity. The degree of Foreign and Commonwealth Office involvement is determined by the nature of the visit and the programme content. Since 7 June we are only aware of the visit to the Isle of Wight by Mr. Trevor Mallard, the Minister of Education of New Zealand, which was not organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Incapacity Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will review the new time-limited permitted work rules for people with learning disabilities who combine incapacity benefit with therapeutic work and whose condition is unlikely to improve over time; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: We have listened to concerns expressed by disability organisations during our consultation over the new permitted work rules. We are now proposing that people who work in the community with ongoing support or supervision from a professional caseworker (employed or engaged by a public body or voluntary organisation) will not be subject to the new time limits. This will ensure that people, such as those with learning disabilities, whose condition is unlikely to improve over time will continue to be able to combine some work while receiving their incapacity benefits. Regulations to implement this will be laid at the end of the year.

Winter Fuel Payments

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people entitled to a £100 winter fuel payment in winter 2000 who actually received £200; and how many of these overpayments have been recovered.

Ian McCartney: The amount paid to individuals depends on their household circumstances. Provisions in regulations allow for the automatic payment of a Winter Fuel Payment based on records held by the Department. If departmental records need updating, or the customer has failed to report a change in circumstances affecting the payment, the Department can accept the return of payments. Reasons are not specified for returned payments received from District Offices.

Disability Living Allowance

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes he is proposing in regulations for Disability Living Allowance in connection with people who are fearful of walking outdoors in unfamiliar places without assistance; what representations he has received on them; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Proposed regulations to clarify the conditions of entitlement to the lower rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance in these circumstances are being considered by the Social Security Advisory Committee. The Committee recently consulted publicly and asked for comments on the draft regulations by 14 September. The Committee is considering the responses it has received and I await its report.
	A SSAC press release that included a copy of the draft regulations and an explanatory memorandum is available in the Library.
	The proposed regulations do not alter the basic qualifying criteria for the lower rate mobility component. People with severe physical and mental disabilities will still be able to qualify on the basis of those disabilities alone.
	The intention of the proposed regulations is to ensure that people who experience fear or anxiety when walking out of doors on unfamiliar routes without supervision or guidance are entitled to lower rate mobility component only if their ability to walk independently is directly affected by a severe mental disability. This is to ensure that the scope of the lower rate mobility component remains within the parameters set out when the component was first introduced.
	We have, in addition, received representations from a number of hon. Members about the proposed regulations.

LETS and Time Banks

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on (a) local exchange trading schemes and (b) time banks, with specific reference to benefit claimants.

Malcolm Wicks: Participation in local exchange trading schemes is treated as employment for those claiming income-related benefits, and any credits received are treated as earnings.
	Entitlement to benefits is not affected by participation in time exchange schemes where the credits derived are counted in time and not exchanged for goods or services.

CSA (Earnings Deductions)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the impact on employers when deductions of earnings are made at source as a result of the intervention of the Child Support Agency;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with (a) employers and (b) employers' organisations on the operation of the deductions of earnings at source following CSA intervention.

Malcolm Wicks: We are concerned about burdens on business and aim to ensure that regulations are necessary, give effective protection, balance cost and risk, are fair and command public confidence. It is a general principle that both parents, whether they live together or apart, are primarily responsible for supporting their children—not the taxpayer. Deductions from earnings orders (DEOs) are sometimes the only effective method of collecting child maintenance from non-resident parents who otherwise fail to meet their responsibilities. Employers can take an additional £1 from non-resident parents' wages towards their administration costs each time a deduction is made.
	The CSA, in partnership with the Inland Revenue, is in close consultation with a group of employers and their representatives (including representatives of payroll professionals) about arrangements flowing from the child support scheme. This has led to changes to DEO procedures. Local CSA managers also liaise with employers and employer organisations in their area about child support issues.

Universal Bank

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his involvement on progress towards the operation of the Universal Bank.

Alistair Darling: The Government are committed to sustaining a national network of post offices. One of the initiatives that is being put in place to deliver this is Universal Banking Services. I am co-ordinating the work to modernise the payment of pensions, benefits and Tax Credits along with the introduction of banking services through post offices.

Housing Benefit

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on an individual's eligibility for housing benefit when his residence is re-classified from residential or nursing home to a supported tenancy.

Malcolm Wicks: In these circumstances individuals are eligible for help with their rent through Housing Benefit.

Housing Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to standardise the housing benefit application form in local authorities.

Malcolm Wicks: Earlier this year we introduced a model claim form which local authorities can choose to use. The form is designed to collect all information necessary to process housing benefit claims securely in line with the Verification Framework. We encourage all local authorities to use the form.

DEFENCE

New Deal

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many participants in the new deal have received (a) training and (b) work experience in the armed forces, including taster days, in each year since 1998.

Adam Ingram: The armed forces do not participate in the new deal scheme directly because of the longer term commitment that recruits are expected to undertake. Nevertheless, in the light of a partnership that my Department has with the Department for Education and Skills Employment Service (ES), there is close liaison between ES jobcentres and the armed forces careers offices. Recruiting staff visit ES jobcentres on a regular basis to promote armed forces careers, and also remind jobcentre staff of the various work experience schemes available in the area for young people up to age 24 years, regardless of their employment status.
	The Services offer work experience, Personal Development Courses (PDCs), Look at Life (LAL) Courses, Army Preparation Courses (APCs), and visits to HM Ships and Establishments. The majority of those who attend are still at school or college.
	A record of the total number of participants per year is not held centrally. Available details are as follows:
	Naval Service
	(a) PDCs: Since April 1999, 89 courses have been provided for 595 students.
	(b) Work Experience Participants: Since 1998 some 800 work experience placements have been made available each year.
	
		(c) HM Ship Visits
		
			  Officer candidates Schoolchildren 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,501 5,800 
			 1999–2000 1,511 6,000 
			 2000–01 1,990 6,100 
		
	
	Army
	The figures are estimated as until recently details of numbers attending were not co-ordinated centrally:
	LALs and PDCs: Number of participants per year = 1,500.
	RAF
	(a) Taster Days:
	
		'Opportunity for All Days'
		
			  Participants 
		
		
			 1998–2000 1,300 
			 2000–01 2,080

Home Defences

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the United Kingdom's home defences.

Adam Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence informed Parliament on 4 October 2001, Official Report, columns 809–10, that we will be conducting work designed to ensure that our concepts, force structures and capabilities are exactly those that we need in order to meet the challenge of the kind of asymmetric threat that we saw on 11 September. This work will look both at the defence of the UK and our capability to counter and deter terrorism abroad.

Reserves

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the reserves will play in providing cover for full-time posts.

Lewis Moonie: Reservists are employed across the full range of duties with all the services, and play an important role in undertaking support tasks, helping alleviate shortfalls in regular manpower and bringing units up to operational manning levels. At present, there are almost 1,700 personnel on full-time reserve service. There are also over 500 reservists called out into permanent service under the Reserve Forces Act 1996 to support military operations. We expect to continue making use of the reserves in these ways.

Armed Forces (Insurance)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department will reopen its life and personal accident insurance scheme to soldiers in the UK armed forces; which private insurance companies his Department has selected to cover service men and women liable to be involved in the war in Afghanistan who are not covered by PAX+ (Personal Accident and Combined Services); whether this scheme will be similar to the existing PAX+ coverage; if his Department will ensure that every soldier's coverage will be full and continuous; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has in place a comprehensive package of compensation schemes for injury or death resulting from service in the armed forces. The MOD's Armed Forces Pension Scheme and the War Pensions Scheme are absolutely unaffected by any commercial considerations. These schemes provide full and continuous cover for all personnel. For those who want additional cover Ministry of Defence facilitates the services of commercial insurers.
	As a responsible employer, MOD encourages its personnel to take out the level of cover that individuals deem necessary. However, policies are commercial undertakings between individuals and insurers. The MOD neither carries any of the risk, nor gains from any of the premium. All such schemes differ, and it is for each individual to decide what benefits, restrictions and costs are deemed appropriate.
	Since 1989 the MOD has facilitated a commercial personal accident policy (known as 'PAX') deemed most appropriate to armed forces personnel. On 31 August 2001, 60,035 armed forces personnel (over 25 per cent.) had a PAX policy, and just under half of these took optional life cover. On 9 October the scheme's underwriters—AIG Europe (UK)—implemented an exclusion period for new applicants from 21 September. Existing holders are unaffected; they can carry out their duties knowing that their policy remains in force wherever they are in the world, on or off duty.
	A PAX exclusion period was last imposed during the Gulf War and a special scheme was introduced for personnel who had not bought PAX but wished to buy insurance. AIG Europe are working now to introduce a replacement for PAX, but I am unable to say how long it will take them to achieve this. This is a commercial matter for them.
	Since 11 September, some insurance companies have put geographical exclusions on new policies for armed forces personnel (mainly for those deploying to Oman and associated area); others have increased rates. As a result, some service personnel have found themselves without the cover they desired.
	However, at present there are insurers still offering worldwide personal accident and life assurance schemes, although obviously they are keeping rates and terms under close review, and the situation could change. Currently such schemes are available, for example, from NAAFI Financial—through their website and 20 centres located in service garrison areas—and from Scottish Widows through the "Forces Safeguard" Policy. While MOD does not select, endorse or recommend individual companies or products without a full 'benchmarking' process, the MOD is both currently advising members of the armed forces of known personal accident and life assurance options and also facilitating the completion of application forms, especially for those deployed.

Armed Forces (Insurance)

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many members of the armed forces in (a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force have joined the armed forces life insurance scheme; what percentage of each service this represents; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many members of (a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force have applied to join the armed forces life insurance scheme since 11 September; and how many have been successful.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence facilitates an insurance scheme (PAX), which provides both personal accident and life cover for armed forces personnel. Optional life assurance cover is only available to those who first take out PAX personal accident cover.
	The table gives details, as at 31 August 2001, of the number of Service personnel who were scheme members and also those policy holders who had elected to take out additional life cover.
	
		
			  Navy  Army RAF 
		
		
			 Number of personnel covered by PAX (personal accident cover) 4,952 50,106 4,977 
			 Percentage of total trained strength 13 50 10 
			 Number of personnel who have additional life insurance cover 2,723 17,567 3,419 
			 Percentage of total trained strength 7 18 7 
		
	
	Of course, many armed forces personnel have cover with other commercial providers more suited to individual circumstances, but we have no means of knowing details of these personal financial arrangements.
	Figures on the number of personnel joining PAX since 11 September are not yet available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Chemical and Biological Weapons

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to make further studies of the UK's preparedness for defence against chemical and biological weapons.

Geoff Hoon: The 1998 Strategic Defence Review (Cm 3999) identified the importance of the UK's defence response to the potential use of weapons of mass destruction. The threat posed by chemical and biological weapons is under continuous review and we constantly monitor the preparedness of the UK's armed forces to meet it. The strategy paper "Defending against the Threat from Biological and Chemical Weapons" of 21 July 1999, cited on 21 July 1999, Official Report, column 537W, explained in more detail our policy, and the ways in which we planned to develop our capabilities further to protect our armed forces. The United Kingdom has also been active in promoting wider preparedness in this area within NATO.
	I announced on 2 October that we would be continuing work on the defence of the UK and our capabilities to counter and deter terrorism abroad in light of the 11 September attacks. This work will look at our concepts, force structures and capabilities to ensure that we can meet the challenge of asymmetric threats.
	Our current contingency plans, which have been reviewed recently, include being able to deal with a wide range of terrorist threats that we might face in the UK or overseas.

Afghanistan

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the practicability of military operations in the passes of Afghanistan after winter conditions have made them impassable.

Geoff Hoon: The climate and topography of Afghanistan are two of the many factors we take into account when considering possible options for coalition military action.

Aston Down

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the procedures by which the decision was taken to shut MOD Aston Down.

Adam Ingram: The process that led to the close of the Ministry of Defence site Aston Down stemmed from the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) Study 2G1. This study recommended the formation of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency (DSDA) and also recommended that savings equivalent to the closure of a minor depot could be made. As one of the minor units joining the new agency, MOD Aston Down was therefore considered, along with two other minor units, a candidate for closure.
	In order to determine how best to make these savings a further study was undertaken. This study was known as the DSDA Rationalisation Study—Phase 1 (DRS1). The study was wide ranging and among other things considered the MOD's future storage requirement against storage capacity and sought to identify the way in which this could be produced in the most cost-effective manner.
	Ministers decided that, subject to consultation, savings equivalent to the closure of a minor depot could be best achieved by shutting down the MOD site at Aston Down. My right hon. Friend the Member for Warley (Mr. Spellar), the then Minister for the Armed Forces, wrote to my hon. Friend on 10 January 2000 to communicate this and initiate the consultation period, during which all interested parties were given the opportunity to comment on the proposals to the Chief Executive. In the event the only comments received were from the Council of Civil Service Unions regarding the position of their members. During the consultation period, SERCO, the company running Aston Down under contract, made alternative proposals for future use of the site. SERCO's offer to purchase the site was eventually withdrawn. Once the period of consultation had ended a decision was made to close the MOD site at Aston Down.

Aston Down

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the duties by which SERCO operated the contract to run MOD Aston Down.

Adam Ingram: The Operation and Maintenance tasks at Aston Down were first contractorised in 1986 and SERCO (then RCA) won the competition.
	In all there have been four consecutive contracts let competitively with SERCO for the Aston Down requirements covering the periods 1986–89, 1989–93, 1993–96 and 1996 to 31 March 2001 when the Depot officially closed.
	The tasks carried out by SERCO under the contract(s) were, as follows:
	Physical storage of all stockholding.
	Support in the disposal of surplus MOD holdings including surplus vehicles.
	Stores accounting
	Operation of all mechanical handling equipment and other on site depot vehicles.
	Depot domestic support services eg cleaning, messenger/ janitorial.
	Fire and security.
	Grounds maintenance.
	Minor maintenance of depot buildings.
	Processing of spent ammunition containers.
	Bird control (infestation).
	SERCO are currently on the site providing a site protection and guarding service while the property is being marketed for disposal.

Aircraft (Repair and Maintenance)

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the budget for repair and maintenance of armed forces aircraft in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The maintenance of military aircraft is undertaken at a variety of locations: operating units (1st and 2nd Line); the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (3rd Line); and various aerospace companies in the UK and abroad (4th Line). Maintenance work falls into a number of categories: some is preventive or routine, other work is based around fault diagnosis and rectification.
	The wide range of information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Death-in-service Payments

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in granting Anna Homsi further payments relating to the death in active service of Brad Tinnion; when he expects to make further payments and at what amount; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: We have completed our detailed work to consider the options for responding to Ms Homsi's request for further payments with respect to the death of her partner, Bombadier Tinnion, and her responsibility for their daughter. This has taken slightly longer than expected but we expect to be able to advise Ms Homsi of our decision by the end of this month.

Maritime Wrecks

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will publish his response to the public consultation on diving on maritime wrecks.

Lewis Moonie: The report on the findings of the public consultation on the protection of military wrecked vessels is still being considered. The House will be informed of the outcome shortly. A copy of the report on the public consultation will be placed in the Library of the House.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Local Government Funding (Education)

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when it is intended that the proposed changes to the education funding formula for local government will take effect.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 19 July 2001
	After considering the consultation responses to the Green Paper on local government finance, we have concluded that while reforming the education funding system is an important priority, we must ensure that there is sufficient time to develop proposals and to consult on them before a new system can be introduced. We have therefore decided to delay introduction of a reformed system until 2003–04.

Traveller Encampments

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the terms of reference are of his Department's review of policy towards traveller encampments; when he intends to publish the conclusions of the review; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Research has been conducted to review the effectiveness of the current DTLR/Home Office Good Practice Guidance on Managing Unauthorised Camping. A summary of the findings will be published shortly, during the week commencing 29 October, and a copy placed in the Library of the House.
	The terms of reference for the research were to:
	(i) explore the extent to which local authorities and police are aware of the guidance;
	(ii) determine the extent to which the guidance has been used by, and met the requirements of, local authorities and the police;
	(iii) explore whether the guidance has encouraged local authorities to take a fresh look at existing policies on unauthorised camping;
	(iv) examine whether local authorities, in reviewing existing policies, are working in partnership with the local police force; liaising with neighbouring authorities; bringing together departments within their authority with an interest in the issues and involving Gypsies and Travellers;
	(v) identify the extent to which local authorities and the police are making use of the statutory Crime Reduction Partnerships in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to tackle anti-social behaviour associated with unauthorised camping;
	(vi) examine the impact of action taken in response to the guidance on crime and disorder associated with unauthorised encampments;
	(vii) identify any gaps in the current guidance, and highlight additional examples of good practice, including examples of joint-working between local authorities and the police;
	(viii) establish to what extent local authorities and police forces are making use of their current legal powers to deal with the problem of unauthorised camping.

Devolved Administrations

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department giving evidence to (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) Welsh Assembly and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly Committees; and to what categories of document he gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (1) Scottish Parliament, (2) Welsh Assembly, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons Select Committees.

Alan Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 1003–05W.

Departmental Staff

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many and what proportion of each civil service grade in his Department is located in each region and nation of the UK; what the average salary is for each grade; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will estimate the number of staff employed by his Department by region and nation of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: I should like to refer the hon. Gentleman to the existing publication "Civil Service Statistics 2000", published on 31 August 2001, especially to Table D (page 42). This gives a regional distribution of staff, as at April 2000, for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR(C)) and for its agencies. A copy of this should already reside in the House of Commons Library.
	
		
			  Regional distribution of staff Totals on a full-time equivalent basis 
		
		
			 London 4,350 
			 South East 870 
			 South West 1,760 
			 West Midlands 790 
			 North West 730 
			 North East 370 
			 Merseyside 80 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 740 
			 East Midlands 550 
			 Eastern 840 
			 Wales 3,690 
			 Scotland 390 
			 Northern Ireland 0 
			 Unreported and elsewhere 1,930 
			  
			 Total 17,070 
		
	
	We estimate that once the Machinery of Government changes are complete, the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR(C)) will employ approximately 3,400 staff. This represents a net reduction of 490 staff in London and SE and a net reduction of approximately 150 in the SW. The other figure shall remain the same for the other regions.

Ministerial Travel

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will list all official overseas visits undertaken by Ministers in his Department in each year since May 1997, indicating (a) the cost in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, (b) the number and grade of (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers accompanying Ministers and (c) the number of official engagements or meetings undertaken on each visit; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  on how many occasions in each year since 1992 non-commercial flights were used by Ministers in his Department for official overseas visits; what the (a) destination, (b) Ministers involved, (c) cost and (d) reason for use of non-commercial flights were on each occasion; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 823W.

Departmental Spending

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total expenditure was on (a) advertising, (b) polling, (c) focus groups, (d) design consultants, (e) caterers, (f) production of departmental publications and (g) photographs/photographers by his Department for each year since 1995 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms; what was (A) the annual percentage increase in spending on each category and (B) spending on each category as a percentage of the total departmental running costs; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) was created in June 2001. Answers to the above questions for the former Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) and its predecessors could be provided only at disproportionate cost to the public purse. Expenditure on advertising by the former DETR and its predecessors in financial years since 1992–93 was reported to the House on 23 April 2001, Official Report, column 60W.

Departmental Spending

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total amount of spending by his Department was in each nation and region of the UK, in the last year for which figures are available; what proportion of his Department's total spending this constitutes; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: An analysis, by function, of totally managed expenditure by country and region can be found in Chapter 8 of the "Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2001–02" (Cm 5101) published in April 2001. Tables 8.6a, 8.6b, 8.7, 8.11 and 8.12 give cash data for 1999–2000, the most recent year for which the analysis is available.
	In 1999–2000, around 98 per cent. of the then DETR's expenditure on its main programmes was incurred in England. The majority of public expenditure in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is incurred by the relevant devolved Administration (see table 8.7).

Correspondence

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library for each year since 1995 the total number of (a) letters from hon. Members, (b) letters from members of the public and (c) parliamentary questions from (i) hon. Members and (ii) Lords dealt with by his Department; what percentage took (A) more than one month and (B) more than three months to provide a substantive answer; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library for each year since 1995 the average response time for providing a substantive answer to (a) hon. Members' correspondence, (b) correspondence from members of the public and (c) written parliamentary questions in the (i) Commons and (ii) Lords.

Alan Whitehead: The effective handling of correspondence and parliamentary questions is an issue to which I, and ministerial colleagues, attach great importance.
	General information on the volumes of correspondence received across Whitehall and on overall performance is published by the Cabinet Office. Figures for 2000 were published on 6 April 2001, Official Report, columns 324–28W, and on 19 July 2001, Official Report, columns 454–56W.
	The information requested in respect of parliamentary questions prior to the formation of this Department on 8 June 2001 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In the period 8 June to 20 July 2001, my Department answered 616 parliamentary questions from hon. Members and 60 from noble Lords. All of those questions were answered within one month.

Special Advisers and Press Officers

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers were employed (i) full time, (ii) part time and (iii) on a contract basis by his Department in each year since 1992.

Alan Whitehead: The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions was formed on 8 June 2001. On that date, the following press officers were employed by the Department:
	1 Assistant Press Officer;
	16 Press Officers, one of whom was employed on a casual contract basis;
	9 Senior Press Officers, of whom one worked part-time;
	three Grade 7 Press Officers; and
	one Grade 6 Press Officer.
	There were no special advisers employed by the Department on 8 June 2001. However, a total of three were appointed between 11 June and 13 August 2001, one on a part-time basis.

Isle of Wight Council (Borrowing)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what permissions to borrow have been given to the Isle of Wight council for the years (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02; and if he will indicate which are for a specified project or projects.

Sally Keeble: holding answer 16 October 2001
	Since 1999–2000, the Isle of Wight council has been given permission to borrow as credit approvals the following amounts:
	
		
			 Year £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 10,689,000 
			 2000–01 9,412,056 
			 2001–02 11,385,773 
		
	
	Within these totals, the Isle of Wight Council is required to use the following amounts of credit approval for the following purposes:
	
		£ 
		
			 Purpose Credit approval 
		
		
			 1999–2000  
			 Local Transport Safety Schemes 623,000 
			 Rural and non-rural package transport minor works 600,000 
			 Coast protection at Gurnard: Preliminary study 2,000 
			 Process unit strategy plan: Ryde 9,000 
			 Wheelers Bay: Coast protection scheme 449,000 
			 Seagrove Bay 397,000 
			 Contaminated land project 6,000 
			 Capital challenge(20) 417,000 
			 New housing(21) 178,000 
			 Purchase of dwellings(21) 101,000 
			 Housing-related projects(21) 50,000 
			   
			 2000–01  
			 Accommodation for Community Mental Health Team 200,000 
			 Contributions to various buildings for the Isle of Wight and Hampshire Magistrates Court Committee 31,056 
			 Integrated transport measures 1,404,000 
			 Transport maintenance 1,540,000 
			 Public Transport Information Systems 5,000 
			 Coast protection at Gurnard: Preliminary study 10,000 
			 Process unit strategy plan: Ryde 33,000 
			 Wheelers Bay: Coast protection scheme 35,000 
			 Seagrove Bay 21,000 
			 2001–02  
			 Contributions to various building projects for the Isle of Wight and Hampshire Magistrates Court Committee 20,773 
			 Provision of facilities for women firefighters 19,000 
			 Integrated transport measures 3,000,000 
			 Transport maintenance 2,900,000 
		
	
	(20) Projects include school repairs, IT facilities, and community regeneration projects
	(21) Capital receipts initiative
	Note:
	1. Figures for the current financial year reflect the situation at the moment. The finalised figures are likely to be different.
	2. Figures only include credit approvals that are allocated for capital expenditure. They do not include trading supplementary credit approvals, which attract no revenue support grant.

Planning

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps he intends to take to ensure that the rights of third parties under planning legislation are compatible with Article 6(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Sally Keeble: We do not consider that there is any need to make changes to planning legislation as it affects third parties as a result of the Human Rights Act 1998 (which incorporates provisions from the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law).

Planning

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance has been issued to local authority planning offices regarding the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Sally Keeble: The Department has not issued guidance. The Government's Human Rights Task Force issued core guidance on the Act for public authorities (including local authorities). In addition, the Local Government Association has produced a pocket guide "Acting on rights: a guide to the Human Rights Act", and a booklet "Deciding rights: applying the HRA to good practice in Local Authority decision making". The latter includes a fact sheet on Human Rights and planning.

Planning

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the review of the planning procedures is planned to commence.

Sally Keeble: I expect to issue a Green Paper on planning reform at the end of the year.

Regional Assemblies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to establish regional assemblies.

Alan Whitehead: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 2 July that the Government intend to publish a White Paper on regional governance in England which will set out the Government's proposals for taking forward elected assemblies, where people want them.

A590

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the proposed A590 bypass at High and Low Newton.

David Jamieson: The proposed A590 bypass was identified as a priority for delivery by 2007 in the North West's Draft Regional Planning Guidance, published in July 2000. The Secretary of State is currently considering the Panel Report from the Public Examination of the draft. It is planned to publish proposed changes this winter, with a view to issuing the final version in spring/summer 2002.

Railtrack

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the level of Government financial support given to Railtrack in each year since its inception.

David Jamieson: In 1994–95 and 1995–96, when Railtrack was still in the public sector, grants of £32 million and £34 million were paid to the company towards the cost of maintaining level crossings. Since its privatisation in 1996, the company has recovered that cost and other costs through access charges paid to it by train operating companies (TOCs) and others. So, although no public money was paid direct to Railtrack between 1996–97 and 2000–01, the company's profitability in those years was contingent on public money. Some 85 per cent. of its income is paid to it in access charges by TOCs, most of which are supported by public money.
	In future Railtrack, or its successor body, will continue to receive income from TOCs, the large majority of which will continue to receive subsidy from the SRA. In addition, in accordance with the terms of Railtrack's 2 April agreement with Government, Railtrack received £337 million of network grant on 1 October 2001; and, when requested by the administrators, it will receive £162 million of network grant in respect of the (October 2000) final conclusions of the Rail Regulator's periodic review of access charges.

Railtrack

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the relationship between Railtrack and the British Rail Property Board.

David Jamieson: The British Rail Property Board became Rail Property Ltd. in July 1997. It is now a subsidiary company of the Strategic Rail Authority. It has commercial dealings with Railtrack from time to time.

Railtrack

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he made to the directors of (a) Railtrack Group plc and (b) Railtrack plc in connection with the financial statements for the year ended 31 March.

David Jamieson: None. The financial statements contained in Railtrack's annual report and accounts for 2000–01 are a matter for its Board of Directors and its auditors.

Railtrack

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions who will serve on the board of the successor company to Railtrack plc.

David Jamieson: The identity of the directors of the proposed company has yet to be determined. Initially, the Strategic Rail Authority, in consultation with rail industry stakeholders and existing senior management of the company, would appoint directors. Members—a large majority of whom would be from the private sector—would be invited to confirm these initial appointments at a special general meeting. Subsequent board appointments would be decided by the board itself. Members would have the power to remove directors and would therefore have an effective right of veto. We anticipate this process would produce a highly competent board, representative of the interests of railway industry stakeholders.

Railtrack

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what financial guarantees will be given in respect to debt finance obtained by the successor company to Railtrack plc.

David Jamieson: The Government have proposed a private sector Company Limited by Guarantee to succeed Railtrack and intend to agree a transfer scheme with the Railway Administrators. We plan to structure this new company so that it would achieve at least a BBB investment grade credit rating as the basis to raise debt finance.
	The new company would be entitled to receive track access payments from train operators along with the network grants from the SRA agreed as part of the Rail Regulator's October 2000 Periodic Review and the 2 April agreement between Railtrack and Government. These sources of income would be available to help achieve at least the BBB credit rating.

Railtrack

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what events occurred subsequent to 3 July which required him to review the ownership and structure of the railway industry.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 954.

Railtrack

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the legal advice he received concerning the use of section 59 of the Railways Act 1993.

David Jamieson: No. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions does not intend to publish any such legal advice.

Business Rates

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will estimate the number of appeals his Department has received following its recent revaluation of the business rate.

Alan Whitehead: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA), an executive agency of Inland Revenue, is responsible for compiling and maintaining the non-domestic rating lists. The most recent revaluation took place on 1 April 2000. At 30 September 2001, VOA had received a total of 798,000 appeals against the rateable values shown in the new rating lists on 1 April 2000.
	This figure includes 632,000 appeals made to challenge the initial valuations made by the VOA at the time of the revaluation on 1 April 2000, and 166,000 made on the grounds that the valuation has been affected by a change in circumstances that has occurred since that date.

Business Rates

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on current procedures with regard to the appeals process for business rates with specific reference to the periods for any underpayment of rates.

Alan Whitehead: Appeals against rateable values shown in the rating lists can be made at any time before a new rating list comes into force, by sending them to the local Valuation Officer of the Valuation Office Agency, an executive agency of Inland Revenue. The next revaluation is scheduled to come into force on 1 April 2005. Appeals are automatically sent to the independent Valuation Tribunal, if they are not settled by agreement between the ratepayer and the Valuation Officer.
	Where an appeal is made, the ratepayer must continue to comply with the payment schedule as set out in the original demand notice from the local authority. Payments may only be altered following the settlement of an appeal and following the issue of a revised bill by the local authority, or with the formal agreement of the billing authority. Where an appeal leads to a reduction in the amount due to be paid, any previous overpayment is refunded to the ratepayer with interest.
	In general, the effect of any appeal leading to a change in rateable value will be backdated either to the date that the change in value occurred, or the first day of the financial year in which the appeal was made, whichever is the later.
	However, in the following cases, changes in rateable value arising from an appeal will take effect from either the date that the change in value occurred or the day that the rating list came into force, whichever is the later:
	(i) deletion of properties from the rating list,
	(ii) changes between domestic and non-domestic use,
	(iii) splits and mergers of properties, and
	(iv) alterations arising from decisions of valuation tribunals, the lands tribunal and the higher courts.

Business Rates

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the operation of rates relief for businesses affected by foot and mouth, with specific reference to (a) the Valuation Office and (b) individual local authorities.

Alan Whitehead: Local authorities have discretion to provide rate relief of up to 100 per cent. to any ratepayers suffering hardship for any reason, under Section 49 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. Usually, 75 per cent. of the cost of any such relief is centrally funded, with local authorities funding the remaining 25 per cent., to reflect the benefit to the local community of granting the relief.
	Under Special Grant Reports 80 and 86, approved by Parliament on 2 April and 17 July 2001, the Government increased to 95 per cent. their contribution towards the cost to English rural local authorities of granting this relief to small businesses suffering hardship as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak. Guidance on the general operation of these arrangements was provided to local authorities in appendix (ii) to Special Grant Report No. 80.
	This increased level of funding applies in respect of properties with rateable values of up to £12,000 in 151 English rural local authorities, and up to £50,000 in 37 of these authorities that are located in the worst affected areas, for a period of nine months from 1 April 2001. The level of Government support also increases to 98 per cent. in total where the net cost to the authority would otherwise exceed 0.4 per cent. of the authority's net budget requirement for 2001–02.
	Special Grant Report No. 86 requires local authorities to submit claims for the grant by 31 March 2002. Those claims will provide information on the amount given in relief. Meanwhile, information provided by the Local Government Association shows that 117 English local authorities have received over 6,500 applications for hardship rate relief related to the foot and mouth outbreak.
	The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for setting rateable values, but has no role in administering rate relief. Ratepayers who believe that the rateable value of their properties has been adversely affected by the foot and mouth outbreak can appeal to the VOA for a reduction in rateable value. Around 72,000 such appeals have now been received in England. The VOA is now giving priority to settling appeals from businesses that have been worst affected by the outbreak.
	The Government also extended by three months to 30 June 2001 the deadline for all appeals relating to properties in the 151 rural authority areas. This allowed any changes to rateable values arising from foot and mouth related appeals made before that date to have effect from the date the outbreak affected the property, instead of being limited to 1 April 2001. It also allowed the effect of other appeals made in these areas up to 30 June 2001 to be backdated to 1 October 2000, or the date of any change to the property giving rise to the change in value, whichever is the later. The effect of appeals made on or after 1 July 2001 in these areas will be backdated to 1 April 2001, or the date of any change to the property giving rise to the change in value, whichever is the later.

District Housing Authorities

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his Department's support for smaller district housing authorities, with specific reference to the selling up of arm's-length companies.

Sally Keeble: It is open to any authority, large or small, to seek a share of the additional resources announced in the Spending Review 2000 for authorities which establish arm's length housing management and demonstrate high standards. We have published detailed guidance which is available on the Department's website, and my officials will be happy to supplement this as necessary.

Abandoned Vehicles

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when his Department's investigation into the problem of dumped vehicles will report.

David Jamieson: My right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement by 31 October.

Council Tax

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his policy of a re-banding exercise for council tax.

Alan Whitehead: We have announced our intention to conduct a council tax revaluation in England. Properties will be placed into updated valuation bands according to their values on 1 April 2005, and changes will first impact on council tax bills in 2007. Revaluation should not, of course, lead to any overall increase or decrease in the council tax yield. Decisions on the band thresholds will be taken closer to the time of revaluation, when we will know more about the distribution of property values across England.

Transport Commissioners

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will investigate the role of the Transport Commissioners and their ability to impose particular conditions in the operation of the rural transport grant.

Sally Keeble: Rural bus services supported by grants from my Department are provided by operators under contracts to local authorities who specify and enforce the terms of the contract. There is no specific role for the Traffic Commissioners on such services. However, all local bus services must register route and timetable with the Traffic Commissioner who can take disciplinary action if the service is not run reliably according to those details. Traffic Commissioners, at the request of the local authority, can also impose conditions on bus operators on the grounds of reducing danger to road users, congestion or pollution.

Unitary Local Authorities

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals regarding unitary local authorities.

Alan Whitehead: We have no plans for moving now to more unitary local authorities. As previously announced by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, we intend to publish a Regional Governance White Paper, and this will set out how we plan to take forward our Manifesto commitment that
	"provision should be made for directly elected regional government to go ahead in regions where people decided in a referendum to support it and where predominantly unitary local government is established".

Public Interest Trusts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he last met representatives of the Institute of Public Policy Research to discuss (a) Project Ariel and (b) public interest trusts.

David Jamieson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has had no such meetings.

Birchwood Park, Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects the Highways Agency to lift its holding directive in order to allow Warrington borough council to determine the planning application for the re-development of Birchwood Park.

David Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Ginny Clarke to Helen Jones, dated 18 October 2001
	The Roads Minister, David Jamieson, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Holding Direction issued to Warrington Borough Council by the Highways Agency on 27 June this year, in respect of the Birchwood Park Outline Planning Application.
	The Minister's letter of 11 October in reply to yours of 18 September (copies enclosed), explained why the Direction was issued and the prerequisites for the Direction to be lifted. Since then we have now presented the independent study document to the Developer and his consultants. We hope it will form a basis for us, the local Highway Authority and the Developer to discuss the likely impact of the development on the surrounding highway network, and to determine the necessary measures to cater for that impact.
	We do not wish to delay this proposal, but we must ensure that its traffic implications are properly assessed. Progress towards lifting the Direction is dependent on the Developer's consultant presenting suitable measures to provide for the impact on the trunk road and motorway network.
	I am sorry that I cannot, at the moment, say when the Holding Direction will be lifted. If you would like any further information about this scheme, you may wish to contact the Agency's Development Control Officer for this particular application, Tony McVay, Room 710, Sunley Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, M1 4BE (telephone 0161 930 5764).

Wind Turbines

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take action to limit construction of wind turbines in upland areas close to national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Sally Keeble: Planning policy guidance for renewable energy projects is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note (PPG) 22: Renewable Energy. This gives guidance to local planning authorities on the siting of renewable energy projects.
	We have no proposals to bring in specific planning controls, beyond those of normal development control, to protect the visual amenity of views looking out from National Parks and Areas Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The guiding principle in countryside planning policies is that development should both benefit economic activity and maintain or enhance the environment. The key aim is to get the right amount of development of the right quality in the right places.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Special Constables (Thames Valley)

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there were in the Thames Valley Police Force in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999 and (e) 2000.

John Denham: The number of serving special constables in Thames Valley Police force from 30 September 1996 to 30 September 2000 are set out in the table:
	
		
			 Year Numbers 
		
		
			 1996 731 
			 1997 694 
			 1998 587 
			 1999 514 
			 2000 463 
		
	
	Statistics provided by Research, Development and Statistics department.
	The Government are committed to increasing the special constabulary and we are looking at radical improvements in their management, welfare and deployment as part of the police reform process.

Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the proportion of people under 25 reporting use of illegal drugs (a) in the last month and (b) in the last 12 months in each year since 1997.

John Denham: The British Crime Survey provides data on the levels of self-reported drug use among a representative sample of the general population in England and Wales. The survey of smoking, drinking and drug use among school children provides equivalent data for those aged 11 to 15 years.
	Table 1 provides the relevant data for 1998 and 2000 for those aged 16 to 24 years. Table 2 provides the equivalent data for 11 to 15-year-olds.
	
		Table 1: Percentages of respondents aged 16 to 24 years reporting use of illegal drugs in the last year and last month, in England and Wales
		
			  Last year Last month 
		
		
			 1998 29 19 
			 2000 29 18 
		
	
	Bases:
	1998 = 1,296; 2000 = 1,517
	Source:
	Drug Misuse Declared in 2000; results from the British Crime Survey, Home Office Research Study 224
	
		Table 2: Percentages of school children aged 11 to 15 years reporting use of illegal drugs in the last year and last month, in England
		
			  Last year Last month 
		
		
			 1998 11 7 
			 1999 12 7 
			 2000 14 9 
		
	
	Bases:
	1998 = 4,647; 1999 = 9,053; 2000 = 6,855
	Source:
	Department of Health Statistical Press Notice, July 2001. Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2000

Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of people under 25 who were using heroin in 1998, and in each subsequent year to date.

John Denham: The British Crime Survey provides data on the levels of self-reported drug use among a representative sample of the general population in England and Wales. The table provides data for 1998 and 2000 on the proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds who have used heroin and the estimated number of 16 to 24-year-olds who have used heroin. Further information on population estimates and how these have been calculated is available in Chapter 5 of the main report (referenced in the table).
	Estimated numbers for the younger age group (11 to 15-year-olds) are not available.
	
		Table 1: Percentage of 16 to 24-year-olds who have used heroin in the last year and last month use (England and Wales)
		
			  1998 2000 
		
		
			 Proportion using heroin in the last year 0.30 0.80 
			 Estimated numbers 17,000 46,000 
			 Proportion using heroin in the last month 0.27 0.32 
			 Estimated numbers 15,000 18,000 
		
	
	Bases:
	1998 = 1,296; 2,000 = 1,517
	Source:
	Drug Misuse Declared in 2000; results from the British Crime Survey, Home Office Research Study 224

Firearms

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving the use of firearms occurred in (a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The numbers of recorded crimes involving firearms committed in England and Wales since 1996 are given in the table.
	
		Number of recorded crimes involving the use of firearms
		
			 Year Firearms other than air weapons Air weapons Total offences 
		
		
			 1996 6,063 7,813 13,876 
			 1997 4,904 7,506 12,410 
			 1997–98(22) 4,903 7,902 12,805 
			 1998–99(22) 5,209 8,665 13,874 
			 1999–2000(22) 6,843 10,103 16,946 
		
	
	(22) Year ending March
	There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, and hence figures before and after this date are not directly comparable. Details for the financial year 2000–01 are not yet available.

Firearms

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving firearms were committed in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

John Denham: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The number of recorded crimes involving firearms committed in England and Wales in the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			 Year Firearms other than air weapons Air weapons Total offences 
		
		
			 1995 5,866 7,568 13,434 
			 1996 6,063 7,813 13,876 
			 1997 4,904 7,506 12,410 
			 1997–98(23) 4,903 7,902 12,805 
			 1998–99(23) 5,209 8,665 13,874 
			 1999–2000(23) 6,843 10,103 16,946 
		
	
	(23) Year ending March
	There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, and hence figures before and after this date are not directly comparable. Figures for 2000–01 are not yet available.
	Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Home Secretary (Appointment)

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what duties the police officers and the patrol car used for the photo opportunity to announce his appointment as Home Secretary were withdrawn from; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what advice he received from the duty officer at Belgravia police station about the availability of police resources for the photo opportunity to announce his appointment as Home Secretary; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that two police officers and one police vehicle deployed from Belgravia Police Station were present at the photo opportunity outside the Home Office on 9 June. They had already been assigned to security patrol in the same vicinity, and remained available for redeployment elsewhere if the need arose.

Police

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on reforms to police working conditions.

John Denham: The police reform programme is about making the police service more effective in catching criminals and reducing crime and the fear of crime. To help ensure that the police service has the support it, managers and officers need to deliver these outputs we will be presenting the Police Negotiating Board with the outcomes we wish to achieve in respect of relevant police conditions so that it can recommend how best to deliver them.

Police

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers are serving in each specialist non-territorial constabulary; and in what respects their powers differ from the general powers of police forces.

John Denham: I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) principal applicants and (b) dependants would gain the right to take paid employment in the United Kingdom if the EEC draft directive laying down minimum standards on the reception of applicants for asylum in member states were implemented.

Angela Eagle: If the European Economic Community (EEC) draft directive were implemented there would be no change with regards to rights of employment for principal applicants. When considering dependants, this issue is to be the subject of detailed discussions in the council working groups.

Asylum Seekers

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were dispersed on arrival in each month since January; and what percentage of these have since moved elsewhere and are no longer in receipt of housing aid.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Statistics recorded by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) show that as at the end of July 2001, 28,810 1 asylum seekers, including dependants, were being supported in NASS accommodation.
	As at the end of July 2001, over 7,000 cases, excluding dependants, had ceased to receive support from NASS. But this will include both cases which had not been dispersed and cases which have received a positive asylum decision.
	The requested breakdown is currently unavailable.
	1 Figures rounded to the nearest 10.

Asylum Seekers

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the value of contracts is awarded to (a) the private sector, (b) local authorities and (c) the voluntary sector in relation to the Government's dispersal scheme for asylum seekers; and how many individuals have been accommodated by each sector.

Angela Eagle: I am unable to supply information on the value of individual contracts between National Asylum Support Service (NASS) and its suppliers. This information is commercial in confidence and cannot be released to third parties.
	I am afraid that the NASS statistics do not show whether asylum seekers and their dependants are being accommodated by the private sector, local authorities or the voluntary sector. However I can say that approximately 60 per cent. of bedspaces are provided by private sector companies and the remainder by local authorities and the voluntary sector.

Asylum Seekers

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the value of the contracts awarded to the Landmark Company is in relation to the dispersal of asylum seekers.

Angela Eagle: I am afraid that I am unable to supply the information. The value of individual contracts between National Asylum Support Service (NASS) and its suppliers is commercial in confidence and cannot be released to third parties.

Extradition

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his strategy for improving the effectiveness, speed and enforceability of extradition procedures internationally.

Keith Bradley: An Extradition Bill will be introduced to streamline extradition law and procedure. The content of the Bill will be based on the Home Office review "The Law on Extradition", published in March 2001. The main elements of the Government's strategy are to establish fast-track extradition with our European Union (EU) partners building on the European Council Framework Decision in the European Arrest Warrant.
	The Bill will also contain provisions to simplify and speed up the handling of extradition requests from the United Kingdom's extradition partners outside the EU.

Habitual Criminals

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many habitual criminals (a) are under 21, (b) are hard drug users, (c) are without school qualifications and (d) were in care as children; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: There is no agreed definition of a habitual criminal. However data are available on offenders with three or more previous convictions, or with five or more previous convictions.
	From a sample of persons sentenced for standard list offences during 1999, of those with three or more previous convictions for standard list offences, 19 per cent. were aged under 21; and of those with five or more previous convictions for standard list offences, 15 per cent. were aged under 21.
	From a survey of 1,884 male prisoners sentenced in early 2000 the analysis in the table has been obtained:
	
		
			  Male prisoners with:  
			  Three or more previous convictions(24) Five or more previous convictions(24) 
		
		
			 Percentage who:   
			 Admitted to using cocaine, crack or heroin during the previous twelve months 57 60 
			 Had no school qualifications 66 67 
			 Were in care as a child 35 37 
		
	
	(24) Based on number of convictions admitted by the offender

Devolved Administrations

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department giving evidence to (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) Welsh Assembly and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly Committees; and to what categories of document he gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (w) Scottish Parliament, (x) Welsh Assembly, (y) Northern Ireland Assembly and (z) House of Commons select committees.

David Blunkett: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 1003–05W.

Labour Shortages

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to fast-track asylum or immigration applicants who are skilled in the area of trades where the UK has labour shortages.

Angela Eagle: The Home Secretary has announced further plans for controlled channels of entry to help meet skill needs in the United Kingdom economy. These will provide a legal route for those who can earn their living and contribute to the United Kingdom. But these proposals must be seen as separate from asylum. There are no plans to allow any asylum seeker who has made his way to this country to take up any form of employment other than the existing concessionary arrangements for adult asylum seekers where their application has been outstanding for longer than six months without a decision being made on it.

Crimestoppers

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much financial assistance was given by his Department to Crimestoppers for the financial years (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02; how much he proposes to grant for the 2002–03 financial year.

John Denham: In 2000–01 the Home Office made a grant of £90,000 to Crimestoppers for their administration costs and provided £40,000 to fund an evaluation of the effectiveness of their work. We are currently considering the question of Home Office assistance to Crimestoppers now and in the future.

HEALTH

Breastfeeding

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of mothers (a) in the Stretley/Broxtowe surestart area and (b) in the UK breastfeed their babies.

Jacqui Smith: Data collected by the Stretley/Broxtowe sure start programme from local midwifery and health visiting records show that in 1999, 22 per cent. of mothers in Stretley/Broxtowe sure start area breastfed at birth, 10 per cent. at six weeks and four per cent. at four months.
	Preliminary results from the first stage of the 2000 infant feeding survey show an increase in the number of mothers in the United Kingdom who initiate breastfeeding. The overall breastfeeding rates rose from 66 per cent. in 1995 to 69 per cent. in 2000. The incidence of breastfeeding in England and Wales increased from 68 per cent. in 1995 to 70 per cent. in 2000. In Scotland and Northern Ireland the rate increased from 55 per cent. in 1995 to 63 per cent. in 2000, and 45 per cent. in 1995 to 54 per cent. in 2000 respectively. The increase has been particularly marked in low income households in England, where breastfeeding rates increased from 50 per cent. to 62 per cent. of women between 1995 and 2000.

Digital Hearing Aids

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the dissemination of digital hearing aids by the NHS in the last three years; and if he will make a statement on his plans for future dissemination of hearing aids.

Jacqui Smith: Twenty National Health Service trusts in England have been fitting digital hearing aids for NHS patients since October 2000, as part of the Department's "modernising NHS hearing aid services" project. The project also includes increased investment in information technology, equipment and modernised patient processes. The Institute of Hearing Research is evaluating the project and its findings will help determine how changes in hearing aid services might be extended to all NHS audiology departments.
	In the meantime all NHS trusts with the staff, training, equipment and experience necessary to fit digital hearing aids, are able to apply for access to the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency contract for digital hearing aids. Twenty five trusts have been given access to the contract allowing them to fit digital aids for patients outside the project.

Waiting Times

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what target he has set for waiting times for in-patient treatment in West Surrey.

Hazel Blears: The NHS Plan (published in July 2000) set a national target for waiting times. By March 2002, no one should wait longer than 15 months for in-patient treatment.
	West Surrey health authority have submitted performance improvement plans which set the following targets for West Surrey:
	By March 2002 there should be no more than 697 people waiting longer than 12 months for in-patient treatment and by September 2002 there should be no more than 357 people waiting longer than 12 months.
	These plans have been approved by the national health service south east regional office who will be monitoring progress closely.

Waiting Times

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients waiting for in-patient treatment in West Surrey have been waiting for more than one year; in which health authorities the percentage is highest; which health authority has the largest percentage waiting more than one year; which health authorities have no one waiting more than one year; and what steps he has taken to reduce variations in patients waiting over one year in the NHS.

Hazel Blears: At the end of August 2001, 10.9 per cent. of patients in the West Surrey health authority area had waited over 12 months for in-patient treatment. This is the highest percentage in England. The health authority area with the lowest percentage is Dorset with 0.1 per cent. There are no health authorities in England without patients waiting over 12 months.
	The NHS Plan contains a target to reduce the maximum waiting time to six months for in-patient treatment and three months for out-patient appointments by 2005. The Modernisation Agency and Department of Health's regional offices are working with the national health service significantly to improve access to care and to reduce variations in waiting times in the areas with the longest waits. West Surrey health authority has also developed action plans to bring about improvements locally.

Hospices (Funding)

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage is of revenue costs financed by public funds at the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, Farnham.

Hazel Blears: I understand that 17.2 per cent. of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice's revenue costs are financed by West Surrey health authority. We are committed to tackling inequalities in access to specialist palliative care services for patients. The Cancer Plan set out our intention to support this by investing an additional £50 million in specialist palliative care by 2004. This will mean that for the first time the national health service investment in specialist palliative care services will match that of the voluntary sector.
	We have required all cancer networks to develop costed strategic investment plans for palliative care, which will inform the wider NHS planning process through health improvement programmes and service and financial frameworks for 2002–03. This will be the mechanism by which we will see inequalities in palliative care service provision addressed and also more realistic support for voluntary hospices.

Reciprocal Health Agreements

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in each of the last five years, what was the net cost to the United Kingdom of reciprocal health agreements with each non-EU country with which a reciprocal agreement is in force.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The United Kingdom's bilateral reciprocal health agreements generally cover only immediately necessary treatment for temporary visitors. They have been negotiated on a cost waiver basis, with each of the parties to the agreement bearing the cost of treating the others' people. Net cost information is therefore not available.

Reciprocal Health Agreements

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated in overseas hospitals, funded by the NHS, in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 October 2001
	United Kingdom residents are personally liable for costs of hospital and other medical treatment overseas unless there are reciprocal health agreements under which costs are assumed by Governments. Since many of these agreements are on a cost waiver basis information on numbers of patients treated in overseas hospitals is not available.

Reciprocal Health Agreements

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in each of the last five years, what has been the net cost to the United Kingdom of reciprocal health agreements with each EU country.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Regulation (EEC) 1408/71 is the European Commission legislation which co-ordinates the health care systems of the member states. It provides for health care to be given at the expense of the patient's home country, in a wide range of circumstances, including immediately necessary health care for temporary visitors, patients referred specifically for treatment, treatment for state pensioners who have retired to another member state, and for posted workers.
	Member states pay each other for such treatments. The table gives the net cost to the United Kingdom (on a resource accounting basis). The figures reflect the fact that with many member states there are more UK pensioners and tourists going to other member states than vice versa.
	
		Estimated net costs to the United Kingdom of reciprocal health arrangements with EU countries during 1996 to 2000
		
			  £ sterling  
			 Country 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Austria 919,000 1,337,000 1,219,000 1,228,000 1,145,000 
			 Belgium 815,000 341,000 330,000 403,000 378,000 
			 Denmark Waiver Waiver Waiver Waiver Waiver 
			 Finland 0 0 0 0 0 
			 France 17,796,000 17,049,000 21,989,000 20,618,000 21,674,000 
			 Germany 169,000 312,000 434,000 354,000 363,000 
			 Greece 54,000 -17,000 -117,000 -46,000 -139,000 
			 Ireland 75,040,000 83,458,000 79,948,000 96,387,000 107,229,000 
			 Italy -480,000 -709,000 -1,120,000 -1,392,000 -1,822,000 
			 Luxembourg Waiver Waiver Waiver Waiver Waiver 
			 Netherlands 1,509,000 1,423,000 1,148,000 1,268,000 1,052,000 
			 Portugal 398,000 292,000 246,000 268,000 239,000 
			 Spain 34,418,000 27,996,000 23,463,000 26,338,000 23,226,000 
			 Sweden -230,000 -196,000 -327,000 -518,000 -491,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are based on latest available information and used for Resource Accounting and Budgeting purposes.
	2. Claims against the UK are made in national currency and converted into sterling by using the quarterly mean exchange rates published by the EU commission.
	3. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	4. A minus sign indicated that the UK is an overall creditor.

Nursing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of (a) the average length of time a nurse will need to spend per person when using the assessment tool for free nursing care and (b) the number of nurses required to complete the assessment by all self-funders by Christmas;
	(2)  which organisations his Department consulted in drawing up the assessment tool for implementing free nursing care.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The testing of the registered nursing care contribution (RNCC) tool has indicated that, on average, determinations take between 50 minutes and one hour to carry out.
	By the end of this month, a total of 800 nurses in England will have undergone training in the use of the tool to enable the planned programme of determinations to be completed by the end of December.
	The RNCC was developed with the input from a wide variety of organisations, nurses, as well as social services staff and the independent nursing home sector. National health service and independent sector nurses took part in its evaluation.

Nursing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if part-funders in nursing homes will be assessed under the free nursing care guidance; when the assessments will commence; when they will be concluded; what levels of payment they will be entitled to; and if he will set out for each health authority how many part-funders there are;
	(2)  what steps he will take to ensure that self and part-funding residents in nursing homes receive a reduction in their nursing home fee equivalent to the NHS payments for nursing care under the free nursing care assessment.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Those people who have, prior to 1 October 2001, paid a council towards the cost of their care by a registered nurse (part funders) will be classed as self funders from that date and treated identically. Those people entering nursing homes after 1 October 2001 who would previously have paid a small amount to the council in respect of their care by a registered nurse will no longer need to do so. All self funders currently in a nursing home should have had a determination of their need for the care of a registered nurse carried out by the end of December this year. The actual reductions in the level of payments experienced by this group will vary depending on the level of assessed need and how the council had previously assessed them. Information on the number of people in this group by health authority is not held centrally, but there are thought to be less than 10 per health authority on average in England.
	Primary care trusts and health authorities have been asked to ensure that the contracts that they establish with nursing homes reflect the National Health Service contribution towards individuals' costs of nursing care and the expectation that this will result in a similar reduction in people's care home fees.

Nursing Care

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress towards the payment of individuals eligible for free nursing help since the change in procedures.

Jacqui Smith: Primary care trusts and health authorities have begun the process of arranging payments to nursing homes in respect of residents who fund the full cost of their nursing care themselves from 1 October. Determinations of individual nursing need are being carried out by National Health Service registered nurses now, a programme that should be completed by the end of December 2001.

Elderly In-patients

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each (a) NHS region and (b) health authority the number of elderly people aged 75 years or over for each quarter from Q1 1999–2000 to Q1 2001–02 for (i) ordinary admissions, (ii) day admissions and (iii) any other category or sub-category of admission for which statistics are collected.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The table shows a count of ordinary admission and day case finished consultant episodes by health authority area of residence for patients aged 75 and over in each quarter for 1999–2000. Data for 2000–01 and 2001–02 are not yet published.
	
		Finished consultant episodes: quarterly data by area of residence, ordinary admission/day case split, for patients aged over 75 NHS Hospitals
		
			 England 1999–2000  
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4  
			  Ordinary admission Day case Ordinary admission Daycase Ordinary admission Day case Ordinary admission Day case 
		
		
			  Northern & Yorkshire Regional
			 QDD Bradford HA 4,041 946 3,852 1,154 4,305 1,044 4,253 1,236 
			 QDE County Durham HA 4,968 1,278 5,012 1,366 5,492 1,423 6,186 1,603 
			 QDF East Riding HA 5,539 1,298 5,640 1,317 5,772 1,361 6,068 1,602 
			 QDG Gateshead & South Tyneside HA 3,506 1,207 3,693 1,241 4,265 1,202 4,306 1,284 
			 QDH Leeds HA 7,546 1,420 7,559 1,600 8,338 1,604 8,415 1,569 
			 QDJ Newcastle & North Tyneside HA 4,674 1,467 4,868 1,547 5,214 1,629 5,447 1,810 
			 QDK North Cumbria HA 3,017 722 2,991 715 3,424 811 3,725 884 
			 QDM Northumberland HA 3,002 875 3,098 1,057 3,330 1,010 3,336 1,178 
			 QDN Sunderland HA 2,041 995 2,000 821 2,631 971 2,982 1,002 
			 QDP Tees HA 4,753 1,043 5,053 1,175 5,611 1,254 5,344 1,434 
			 QDQ Wakefield HA 2,416 639 2,317 638 2,540 639 2,553 770 
			 QDR North Yorkshire HA 6,427 1,868 6,484 2,138 7,113 2,158 6,868 2,308 
			 QDT Calderdale & Kirklees HA 4,815 1,177 5,063 1,285 5,329 1,326 5,582 1,478 
			  
			  Trent Regional Office  
			 QCG Barnsley HA 3,044 449 3,001 498 3,210 514 3,294 527 
			 QCH North Derbyshire HA 3,407 899 3,347 941 3,705 878 3,995 1,127 
			 QCJ South Derbyshire HA 5,536 1,454 5,820 1,568 6,261 1,489 6,438 1,577 
			 QCK Doncaster HA 2,695 797 2,840 908 2,740 997 3,144 1,191 
			 QCL Leicestershire HA 9,057 2,058 9,463 2,235 9,715 2,293 9,452 2,375 
			 QCM Lincolnshire HA 6,522 1,417 6,710 1,626 7,256 1,617 7,279 1,709 
			 QCN North Nottinghamshire HA 3,944 769 3,879 821 4,718 810 4,965 846 
			 QCP Nottingham HA 6,649 1,286 7,015 1,352 7,786 1,405 8,002 1,425 
			 QCQ Rotherham HA 1,883 370 1,836 511 2,006 529 2,105 575 
			 QCR Sheffield HA 5,331 1,150 5,318 1,292 5,874 1,464 5,986 1,647 
			 QDL South Humber HA 2,441 626 2,486 720 2,612 736 2,630 878 
			  
			  West Midlands Regional Office
			 QD9 Birmingham HA 8,317 1,966 8,280 2,176 9,134 2,150 9,419 2,362 
			 QEA Coventry HA 2,655 621 2,702 659 3,001 767 2,920 814 
			 QEC Dudley HA 1,969 854 2,048 836 2,237 860 2,046 857 
			 QED Herefordshire HA 1,426 419 1,311 369 1,483 538 1,474 542 
			 QEE Sandwell HA 2,206 719 2,391 792 2,735 745 2,793 861 
			 QEF Shropshire HA 3,166 983 3,280 1,029 3,465 1,069 3,534 1,180 
			 QEG Solihull HA 1,289 478 1,463 502 1,624 494 1,610 549 
			 QEH North Staffordshire HA 3,845 1,535 4,029 1,540 4,064 1,526 4,050 1,584 
			 QEJ South Staffordshire HA 4,276 1,637 4,357 1,563 4,707 1,541 4,691 1,606 
			 QEK Walsall HA 2,019 419 2,007 468 2,421 448 2,561 560 
			 QEL Warwickshire HA 4,240 1,115 4,109 1,147 4,697 1,158 4,592 1,226 
			 QEM Wolverhampton HA 1,778 410 1,957 458 2,359 508 2,590 656 
			 QEN Worcestershire HA 4,010 1,166 3,861 1,187 4,106 1,249 4,025 1,368 
			  
			  North West Regional Office
			 QC1 South Lancashire HA 2,802 1,087 2,838 990 2,872 1,103 2,880 1,091 
			 QC2 Liverpool HA 5,470 1,177 5,571 1,176 6,158 1,150 6,362 1,216 
			 QC3 Manchester HA 3,411 1,304 3,516 1,486 3,737 1,469 3,583 1,583 
			 QC4 Morecambe Bay HA 2,873 1,189 2,834 1,402 3,092 1,275 3,109 1,378 
			 QC5 St. Helens & Knowsley HA 3,246 794 3,328 805 3,647 824 3,662 831 
			 QC6 Salford & Trafford HA 4,456 1,751 4,520 1,854 4,654 1,830 4,768 1,806 
			 QC7 Sefton HA 2,726 1,073 2,863 1,143 3,284 1,048 2,865 1,163 
			 QC8 Stockport HA 2,269 1,157 2,270 1,302 2,444 1,313 2,706 1,272 
			 QC9 West Pennine HA 4,355 1,347 4,443 1,623 4,512 1,768 4,622 2,025 
			 QCT Bury & Rochdale HA 3,607 1,142 3,517 1,185 3,867 1,180 4,139 1,412 
			 QCV North Cheshire HA 2,754 710 2,824 782 3,461 785 2,911 824 
			 QCW South Cheshire HA 5,161 1,656 5,644 1,847 5,935 1,789 6,255 1,911 
			 QCX East Lancashire HA 5,365 1,863 5,391 2,063 5,772 1,994 5,831 2,154 
			 QCY North West Lancashire HA 4,643 2,357 4,516 2,477 4,662 2,433 5,063 2,897 
			 QDA Wigan & Bolton HA 5,000 1,447 5,203 1,629 5,651 1,565 6,184 1,721 
			 QDC Wirral HA 4,434 507 4,251 559 4,805 618 4,654 734 
			   
			 Eastern Regional Office 
			 QA6 Bedfordshire HA 3,967 1,008 4,045 958 4,320 945 3,586 1,036 
			 QAX North Essex HA 7,343 1,548 7,567 1,685 7,854 1,846 8,652 1,889 
			 QAY South Essex HA 6,271 1,787 6,259 1,874 6,705 1,816 6,590 2,142 
			 QCF Suffolk HA 7,961 1,745 7,805 1,889 8,418 1,906 8,060 2,089 
			 QEP East & North Hertfordshire HA 4,071 1,286 4,148 1,414 4,328 1,327 4,969 1,515 
			 QEQ West Hertfordshire HA 4,285 1,094 4,258 1,205 4,719 1,177 4,683 1,278 
			 QER Cambridge HA 6,525 1,436 6,734 1,605 7,420 1,570 8,244 1,772 
			 QET Norfolk HA 10,043 2,429 9,717 2,783 10,608 2,796 10,525 2,948 
			  
			  London Regional Office  
			 QA2 Hillingdon HA 1,706 467 1,665 455 1,983 510 1,921 549 
			 QA3 Kensington Chelsea & Westminster 2,495 667 2,380 680 2,515 667 2,462 762 
			 QA4 Enfield & Haringey HA 2,884 869 2,735 942 3,094 941 2,955 1,089 
			 QA5 Redbridge & Waltham Forest HA 3,064 1,078 3,102 1,103 3,422 1,024 3,324 1,143 
			 QAA Bexley & Greenwich HA 3,086 838 3,199 813 3,345 838 3,226 999 
			 QAC Bromley HA 2,672 787 2,519 842 2,713 914 2,647 929 
			 QAD Croydon HA 2,057 703 2,073 683 2,267 721 2,230 721 
			 QAG Kingston & Richmond HA 2,520 638 2,583 700 2,929 757 2,795 746 
			 QAH Lambeth Southwark & Lewisham 3,668 1,026 3,930 1,062 4,444 1,018 4,281 1,084 
			 QAJ Merton Sutton & Wandsworth HA 4,151 1,173 4,295 1,177 4,507 1,143 4,565 1,189 
			 QAP Barking & Havering HA 3,123 925 3,126 919 3,570 985 3,549 1,005 
			 QAQ Barnet HA 2,583 592 2,462 616 2,677 568 2,786 722 
			 QAR Brent & Harrow HA 2,769 880 2,618 907 2,922 958 3,111 1,080 
			 QAT Camden & Islington HA 2,357 446 2,420 546 2,584 481 2,650 548 
			 QAV Ealing Hammersmith & Hounslow 3,897 1,075 3,767 1,143 4,333 1,254 4,146 1,213 
			 QAW East London & The City HA 3,500 739 3,650 827 3,994 839 3,974 890 
			  
			  South East Regional Office
			 QA7 Berkshire HA 4,988 1,084 4,900 1,193 5,281 1,190 5,041 1,361 
			 QA8 Buckinghamshire HA 4,499 911 4,602 1,015 5,145 1,051 4,892 1,149 
			 QAE East Kent HA 6,732 1,666 6,010 1,699 6,945 2,020 5,450 2,176 
			 QAF West Kent HA 7,680 1,344 7,187 1,448 7,295 1,543 7,448 1,676 
			 QAK East Surrey HA 3,714 877 3,416 950 3,547 866 3,401 883 
			 QAL West Surrey HA 4,459 1,248 4,535 1,478 5,149 1,402 4,782 1,364 
			 QAM East Sussex Brighton & Hove HA 8,022 2,126 8,268 2,309 8,590 2,208 8,539 2,420 
			 QAN West Sussex HA 6,772 2,071 6,885 2,317 7,418 2,422 7,612 2,612 
			 QCC Northamptonshire HA 4,976 1,171 4,813 1,338 5,171 1,302 5,646 1,384 
			 QCE Oxfordshire HA 4,602 1,092 4,462 1,132 4,790 1,104 4,666 1,002 
			 QD1 North & Mid Hampshire HA 4,127 1,054 4,099 1,005 4,136 930 4,351 1,048 
			 QD2 Portsmouth & South East Hampshire 5,185 1,093 4,896 1,312 5,823 1,187 5,634 1,317 
			 QD3 Southampton & South West Hampshire 5,541 1,688 5,751 1,893 6,308 1,761 6,325 2,098 
			 QD4 Isle of Wight HA 1,542 223 1,400 258 1,562 261 1,500 260 
			  
			  South West Regional Office  
			 QD5 Somerset HA 5,308 1,421 5,082 1,378 5,676 1,443 5,832 1,807 
			 QD6 South & West Devon HA 6,721 1,716 6,481 1,788 6,730 1,733 6,694 1,823 
			 QD7 Wiltshire HA 4,560 1,191 4,606 1,409 4,832 1,383 5,108 1,422 
			 QD8 Avon HA 9,163 2,552 9,058 2,679 9,678 2,792 9,529 3,058 
			 QDV Cornwall & Isles of Scilly HA 6,240 2,416 6,503 2,386 6,957 2,096 6,954 1,521 
			 QDW Dorset HA 10,877 3,491 10,436 3,844 10,812 3,775 11,506 4,014 
			 QDX North & East Devon HA 5,839 1,626 5,662 1,706 6,312 1,831 6,833 1,901 
			 QDY Gloucestershire HA 5,007 1,533 5,004 1,608 5,347 1,645 5,307 1,764 
			  
			 QW1 Gwent HA 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 
			 QW2 Bro Taf HA 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 
			 QW3 Dyfed Powys HA 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 QW4 North Wales HA 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 QW5 Iechyd Morgannwg HA 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Wales (other) 965 308 1,122 342 1,165 354 1,153 482 
			 Scotland 197 18 300 22 200 26 171 19 
			 Foreign 1,413 899 1,425 838 1,350 777 1,406 761 
			 Northern Ireland 13 1 17 1 14 0 13 0 
			 Not known 331 25 413 33 483 33 485 25 
			  
			 Total 437,494 119,175 439,061 127,784 476,222 128,497 480,467 138,903 
		
	
	Note:
	1. An FCE is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes within the year.
	2. Figures in this table have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
	Source:
	Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES), Department of Health

Dental Services

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of a molar root treatment is in (a) the general dental service and (b) the personal dental services.

Hazel Blears: The item of service fee currently paid to a dentist for providing a molar root treatment (endodontics) under general dental services is £68.65 per molar tooth. Under the personal dental service's arrangements, treatments are not remunerated on an item of service basis but are included as part of the overall contractual arrangements, which, for example, may be by way of salary, capitation payments, modified item of service or block contract, the category of patient treated and the range of treatments being provided under each individual pilot's arrangements.
	Patients pay the same charge for treatment under the personal dental service as they do under the general dental service. The current charge for molar root treatment is £54.92 per molar tooth.

Dental Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have de-listed themselves from taking NHS adult patients by each health authority area, in each of the last six years.

Hazel Blears: The table shows the number of the General Dental Service (GDS) dentists in each health authority whose adult registration numbers fell to zero during each of the last five financial years ending in March. The vast majority of these dentists are leavers from the GDS. They will leave for a number of reasons, for example retirement, and some are absent only temporarily.
	Those people who wish to see a national health service dentist should now be able to do so by contacting NHS Direct.
	
		General dental service: Number of dentists whose adult registrations fell to zero during the financial year: England
		
			 Health authority 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 1997–98 1996–97 
		
		
			 Hillingdon 6 9 4 7 10 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 19 20 29 18 23 
			 Enfield and Haringey 18 14 17 10 13 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 8 3 11 6 4 
			 Bedfordshire 11 11 6 10 7 
			 Berkshire 16 12 12 20 11 
			 Buckinghamshire 15 14 16 14 12 
			 Cambridge and Huntingdon (25)— (25)— (25)— 9 5 
			 Bexley and Greenwich 13 8 11 8 7 
			 Bromley 6 5 6 12 8 
			 Croydon 12 6 12 11 11 
			 East Kent 13 17 10 12 18 
			 West Kent 27 27 24 37 23 
			 Kingston and Richmond 11 13 10 4 6 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 18 24 38 19 29 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 24 17 19 17 11 
			 East Surrey 10 11 8 8 18 
			 West Surrey 16 18 10 19 9 
			 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 20 20 17 10 12 
			 West Sussex 18 18 17 18 15 
			 Barking and Havering 4 4 4 7 6 
			 Barnet 7 10 11 12 11 
			 Brent and Harrow 7 14 13 8 11 
			 Camden and Islington 23 20 22 19 16 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 25 24 38 35 22 
			 East London and The City 13 20 17 15 14 
			 North Essex 20 13 18 19 16 
			 South Essex 24 11 12 6 24 
			 South Lancashire 6 5 7 3 3 
			 Liverpool 7 8 4 11 8 
			 Manchester 9 7 11 12 7 
			 Morecambe Bay 5 10 7 3 9 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley 1 7 5 3 4 
			 Salford and Trafford 7 6 6 9 9 
			 Sefton 4 4 5 3 5 
			 Stockport 1 5 3 1 6 
			 West Pennine 5 7 5 6 9 
			 East Norfolk (25)— (25)— (25)— 10 12 
			 Northamptonshire 10 6 8 8 10 
			 North West Anglia (25)— (25)— (25)— 5 6 
			 Oxfordshire 15 15 8 14 12 
			 Suffolk 8 5 8 13 6 
			 Barnsley 4 1 4 2 1 
			 North Derbyshire 6 6 6 4 3 
			 South Derbyshire 11 7 15 5 2 
			 Doncaster 3 1 2 2 4 
			 Leicestershire 16 13 7 24 7 
			 Lincolnshire 7 3 7 4 4 
			 North Nottinghamshire 6 7 2 7 2 
			 Nottingham 10 15 17 16 5 
			 Rotherham 2 2 4 4 2 
			 Sheffield 5 5 7 6 9 
			 Bury and Rochdale 10 5 7 6 5 
			 North Cheshire 3 0 3 2 4 
			 South Cheshire 13 9 26 6 14 
			 East Lancashire 8 5 4 6 7 
			 North West Lancashire 11 5 7 2 8 
			 North and Mid Hampshire 11 7 12 11 12 
			 Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 11 8 11 5 9 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire 15 12 8 5 12 
			 Isle of Wight 3 5 1 0 5 
			 Somerset 10 9 10 4 13 
			 South and West Devon 12 11 12 13 17 
			 Wiltshire 14 14 13 9 9 
			 Avon 26 27 21 30 24 
			 Birmingham 26 21 18 13 15 
			 Wigan and Bolton 7 7 7 6 5 
			 Wirral 7 11 5 5 3 
			 Bradford 6 13 9 6 4 
			 County Durham 8 4 4 2 6 
			 East Riding 5 7 3 10 9 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 4 4 0 4 8 
			 Leeds 15 15 11 14 13 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 15 7 10 10 9 
			 North Cumbria 5 6 6 5 4 
			 South Humber 5 5 3 3 2 
			 Northumberland 4 5 5 7 5 
			 Sunderland 4 7 4 7 2 
			 Tees 14 10 8 9 4 
			 Wakefield 3 3 2 5 2 
			 North Yorkshire 10 15 13 13 14 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees 7 7 5 2 3 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 9 14 9 7 10 
			 Dorset 12 16 9 11 16 
			 North and East Devon 20 12 9 5 11 
			 Gloucestershire 7 7 6 6 5 
			 Coventry 4 4 4 6 2 
			 Dudley 5 1 2 5 1 
			 Herefordshire 2 2 2 2 2 
			 Sandwell 4 1 3 2 4 
			 Shropshire 3 7 5 8 0 
			 Solihull 6 2 3 1 1 
			 North Staffordshire 4 5 5 5 2 
			 South Staffordshire 6 7 7 5 3 
			 Walsall 2 1 1 0 1 
			 Warwickshire 8 15 12 3 3 
			 Wolverhampton 3 3 2 3 1 
			 Worcestershire 8 10 9 3 9 
			 East and North Hertfordshire 13 9 6 13 9 
			 West Hertfordshire 13 10 5 15 7 
			 Cambridge 16 19 (25)— (25)— (25)— 
			 Norfolk 12 17 (25)— (25)— (25)— 
			  
			 Total 1,001 954 926 885 851 
		
	
	(25) In April 1999 Cambridge and Huntingdon, East Norfolk and North West Anglia were amalgamated into two HAs, namely Cambridge HA and Norfolk HA. For 1998–99 the total number of dentists in these HAs was 19.

Dental Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists still take NHS adult patients, broken down by each health authority area.

Hazel Blears: Most dentists continue to treat some adults and children on the national health service. Only about 1,000 general dental service (GDS) dentists have no adult registrations at all and a proportion of these are practitioners who specialise in children's work. Most dentists ceasing to have adult patients have left the GDS, frequently because of retirement.
	The table shows the number of GDS dentists in each health authority that have adult registered patients at the end of June 2001. Dentists working in more than one health authority are counted only once in their main health authority.
	
		General dental service: Number of dentists with adult registered patients at 30 June 2001, England
		
			 Health authority Number of dentists 
		
		
			 Avon 360 
			 Barking and Havering 89 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey 305 
			 Barnsley 53 
			 Bedfordshire 136 
			 Berkshire 239 
			 Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich 243 
			 Birmingham 272 
			 Bradford 130 
			 Brent and Harrow 169 
			 Buckinghamshire 247 
			 Bury and Rochdale 106 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees 169 
			 Cambridge 177 
			 Camden and Islington 175 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 149 
			 County Durham 145 
			 Coventry 73 
			 Croydon 123 
			 Doncaster 80 
			 Dorset 239 
			 Dudley 78 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 259 
			 East Kent 167 
			 East Lancashire 132 
			 East London and The City 160 
			 East Riding 135 
			 East Surrey 171 
			 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 278 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 110 
			 Gloucestershire 190 
			 Herefordshire 61 
			 Hertfordshire 399 
			 Hillingdon 84 
			 Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 187 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 167 
			 Kingston and Richmond 117 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 216 
			 Leeds 241 
			 Leicestershire 248 
			 Lincolnshire 128 
			 Liverpool 124 
			 Manchester 151 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 222 
			 Morecambe Bay 97 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 144 
			 Norfolk 209 
			 North and East Devon 173 
			 North and Mid Hampshire 164 
			 North Cheshire 84 
			 North Cumbria 93 
			 North Derbyshire 97 
			 North Essex 233 
			 North Nottinghamshire 92 
			 North Staffordshire 103 
			 North West Lancashire 133 
			 North Yorkshire 262 
			 Northamptonshire 143 
			 Northumberland 85 
			 Nottingham 196 
			 Oxfordshire 205 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 146 
			 Rotherham 66 
			 Salford and Trafford 142 
			 Sandwell 76 
			 Sefton 78 
			 Sheffield 174 
			 Shropshire 134 
			 Solihull 56 
			 Somerset 149 
			 South and West Devon 228 
			 South Cheshire 221 
			 South Derbyshire 154 
			 South Essex 204 
			 South Humber 65 
			 South Lancashire 86 
			 South Staffordshire 157 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire 172 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley 87 
			 Stockport 110 
			 Suffolk 188 
			 Sunderland 75 
			 Tees 171 
			 Wakefield 89 
			 Walsall 44 
			 Warwickshire 151 
			 West Kent 301 
			 West Pennine 134 
			 West Surrey 248 
			 West Sussex 277 
			 Wigan and Bolton 160 
			 Wiltshire 183 
			 Wirral 105 
			 Wolverhampton 58 
			 Worcestershire 152 
			  
			 England 15,058

Child Abuse (Norfolk)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have died in the last five years as a result of brutality inflicted on them by (a) relatives and (b) people known to the child as a "family friend", while the child was on the at risk register of the social services department of Norfolk county council; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, we are informed by the social services department of Norfolk county council that one child has died in the last five years as a result of injuries inflicted on them by a relative, while the child was on Norfolk's child protection register. The social services department is not aware of any registered child who has died in the last five years as a result of injuries inflicted on them by a person known to the child as a family friend.

Drug Misuse

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is the number of drug misusers who were not given immediate access to appropriate treatment, upon application, in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: This information is not available centrally. There has been an increase of 16 per cent. in the number of people entering treatment over the last three years. In fact, the latest information from the regional drug misuse databases published on 11 October, indicates that the number of users in treatment was approximately 118, 500.

General Medical Council

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the General Medical Council will be required by him to take in order to advise complainants of the availability of judicial review of its decisions.

Hazel Blears: None. In August we published "Modernising Regulation in the Health Professions" in which we have consulted on the functions of the proposed Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professions. These include a power to make public interest appeals in extreme cases against individual decisions of the regulatory bodies.

General Medical Council

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of responses to complainants and subsequent notification of decisions the General Medical Council has failed to issue within its own target times for each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: Since July 2000 the General Medical Council has set itself a series of explicit service standards for dealing with fitness to practise complaints. It reports on its performance against these standards each year. It aims to acknowledge all letters promptly and to keep complainants informed of progress but it does not hold separate performance information on these activities.

General Medical Council

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what provision the General Medical Council is making to fast track complaints against doctors where (a) previous disciplinary action has been taken against them and (b) another complaint is presently being considered by the General Medical Council;
	(2)  in how many cases since January 1999 in which disciplinary action was subsequently taken, including admonishment, by the Professional Conduct Committee of the General Medical Council, an interim suspension order was imposed.

Hazel Blears: I understand that the chief executive of the General Medical Council wrote to my hon. Friend on 31 August providing the information requested.

General Medical Council

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what proposals his Department has to ensure that public interest immunity is not a barrier to providing complainants to the General Medical Council with an adequate explanation of the reasons for decisions of the Professional Conduct Committee;
	(2)  what proposals his Department has to ensure that the General Medical Council provides complainants with an explanation of the reasons for decisions in disciplinary hearings.

Hazel Blears: The General Medical Council recognises the importance of providing information to complainants about the reasons for the Professional Conduct Committee's decisions and it does so in all cases.

Care Homes

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance the Government will provide on the training appropriate for registered managers; who will decide what training is appropriate; who will pay for the training; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Guidance on the training appropriate for registered managers for Care Homes for Older People has been given in the National Minimum Standards for Care Homes for Older People published in March 2001. Guidance on the training appropriate for registered managers of Care Homes for Younger Adults and for Children's Homes will be given in the relevant set of National Minimum Standards. These standards are presently being finalised and will be published later in the year.
	It is an employer's responsibility to ensure that they and their staff receive the relevant training for the work that they have to undertake. However, help towards the cost of funding for national vocational qualifications is available from the learning and skills councils. The Department also contributes towards the cost of training social care workers via the training support programme grant and this year. The Department has also provided £2 million towards the implementation of the national training strategy for social care workers.

Care Homes

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent the views of care home staff on the Care Homes Regulations 2001 will be collected by the Care Standards Commission; where the results will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The Department completed the consultation exercise on the draft Care Homes Regulations 2001 on 21 September. Copies of that document were made available widely to interested groups and individuals through direct mailing, the National Care Standards Commission internet site and the Department's distribution unit. Care workers were welcome to give their views as were any other interested parties. Responses were received from a few individual care workers. In addition, under section 7 of the Care Standards Act 2000, the National Care Standards Commission will have the responsibility of keeping my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State informed about the availability and quality of the services it regulates. The Commission will also be required to make public information about these services. Much of this information will be obtained through the inspection processes that the Commission will adopt. Section 31(3)(d) gives the Commission powers to interview any person employed by a regulated provider. It is likely that staff views would be sought through this power.

Care Homes

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action will be taken against a registered provider if a care home worker refuses to make available their passport, as required in section 19(4)(c) of the Care Home Regulations 2001: and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Section 19(4)(c) of the draft Care Homes Regulations will require the registered person to obtain certain information regarding the fitness of a person who is working or seeking to work in the care home. Schedule 5 of the draft Regulations sets out the details of the information for the purpose of establishing identity to be provided by the care worker. The care worker is required to provide a birth certificate, a passport if he or she has one and a recent photograph. Where a person who has a passport refuses to provide that document to the registered person then an application for employment should be refused or employment terminated. No action will be taken against a provider who refuses to employ or terminates the employment of someone who has a passport but who refuses to provide that document.

Care Homes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) residential care homes and (b) nursing care home beds were available in England and Wales in each of the last four years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The table shows the requested information for England. Information on the number of homes and beds in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.
	
		Number(26) of residential care homes and registered nursing beds in England, 1997 to 2000 (as at 31 March)
		
			   (27)1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 (a) Residential care homes 24,480 24,880 24,820 24,830 
			 (b) Registered nursing beds in nursing homes(28) 196,300 205,600 202,200 193,300 
		
	
	(26) Rounded numbers
	(27) This refers to the period 1 October 1997 to 31 March 1998
	(28) Registered beds in general and mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics.
	Source:
	Department of Health annual returns

Care Homes

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to reverse the trend in the number of residential care home places.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 18 October 2001
	On 9 October, we announced an extra £300 million investment over this year and next year for local councils to spend on community care services. This major cash investment will be used to reduce bed blocking and will help to stabilise the care home sector, giving them greater confidence in the future.
	We, also launched a new agreement "Building Capacity and Partnership in Care" on 9 October. The agreement focuses on councils and the independent sector working together as partners throughout the commissioning process. This should promote a more strategic, inclusive and consistent approach to capacity planning at a local level.

Electromagnetic Fields

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have for researching the non-thermal effects of electromagnetic fields; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Electromagnetic fields (EMF) can arise from a wide range of sources including telecommunications at high frequencies and the electric power supply at low frequencies. The Stewart report on mobile phones and health made a recommendation that a substantial research programme should be set up under the aegis of a demonstrably independent panel and financed by the mobile phone companies and the public sector. The mobile telecommunications and health research programme, jointly funded by Government and industry, has now been set up under the direction of an independent programme management committee. The committee is currently assessing a range of research proposals, including some that are designed to look at non-thermal effects. Information about this programme can be found on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/mobilephones.
	Research into the broader area of electromagnetic fields and health is continuing within the Department's radiation protection research programme, the work of the National Radiological Protection Board, the EMF Biological Research Trust and that of the World Health Organisation to which the United Kingdom contributes funding and expertise.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he ensures the identification of children who may have severe untreated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; what progress has been made towards ensuring that the condition is recognised by teachers and school nurses in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: In guidance published in October 2000 the National Institute for Clinical Excellence identified that of an estimated 69,000 six to 16-year-olds in England who met the diagnostic criteria for hyperkinetic disorder, for example severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), some 45,000 who might benefit from the drug methylphenidate were not receiving this treatment. The guidance also made it clear that a diagnosis of ADHD should be based on a timely, comprehensive assessment conducted by a child/adolescent psychiatrist or a paediatrician with expertise in this disorder. Referrals for specialist assessment can come from a number of sources including family members, general practitioners, social workers and teachers.
	The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is promoting a number of initiatives designed to help schools and teachers work with children with a range of emotional and behavioural needs, including ADHD. In June this year the DfES issued guidance on "Promoting Children's Mental Health within Early Years and School Settings" which has been circulated widely. The guidance covers not only mental health problems faced by children but also the approaches schools can take to promote children's mental health. It includes a section on attention deficit/hyperactivity which will help teaching staff identify pupils with ADHD. It also includes teaching strategies to help pupils with ADHD.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to carry out research on the correlation between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and social exclusion; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not currently have any plans to carry out research on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and social exclusion. The Department is providing or has provided support for a number of projects on ADHD in general. Details of 24 ongoing and 54 completed projects on ADHD are available on the national research register which can be accessed in medical libraries on CD-ROM or on the internet at www.doh.gov.uk/research/nrr.htm.

Nutriprem

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 25 April 2001, Official Report, column 287W, on Nutriprem 2, when he will announce his decision on Nutriprem 2.

Hazel Blears: A decision on Nutriprem 2 will be announced shortly.

Fall Prevention

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will arrange for the dissemination of reports on best practice in the prevention of falls;
	(2)  what financial resources he plans to devote to work to prevent falls.

Jacqui Smith: Falls are a major cause of disability and the leading cause of death due to injury in older people. Action to address this is detailed in the White Paper "Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation" which set targets to reduce accidental injuries and deaths, and in the National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People. The NSF includes a detailed service model for integrated falls services and milestones for their full adoption across England by April 2005. Staged implementation will help planning, and will be underpinned by an evaluation of the more detailed financial and workforce implications within the additional resources we have allocated to health and social care.

Cannabis (Clinical Trials)

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what stage the trials into the medical uses of cannabis have reached; and when he expects to be able to announce the results.

Jacqui Smith: The Medical Research Council (MRC) is funding a clinical trial into the efficacy of cannabis extract and a single cannabinoid in the treatment of spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients. The trial is being run by Dr. John Zajicek, of Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, and the MRC Clinical Trials Unit. The trial started recruitment in autumn 2000. It will take three to four years to complete from the point of recruitment and the results will be published subsequently in peer reviewed publications.
	We are aware that a second study on the development of a medicine derived from cannabis has started. This work which is expected to last for three years and is being led by Dr. Guy of GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
	Detailed evidence about clinical trials with cannabis and its derivatives was presented to the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology inquiry into the therapeutic uses of cannabis. It provides information about clinical trials with cannabis and its derivatives that are completed and published or ongoing. The date of publication of the ongoing trials is matter for the investigators and sponsors. This information is recorded in the Committee's reports 'Cannabis: the Scientific and Medical Evidence' (9th Report Session 1997–98, HL Paper 151) and 'Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis' (2nd Report Session 2000–01, HL Paper 50), copies of which are available in the Library.

Orthodontic Treatment

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were provided with orthodontic treatment per 1,000 of the population in each health authority area in the last 12 months.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The table shows the number of orthodontic appliance claims per 1,000 of the population by health authority in England for 2000–01.
	
		General Dental Service: Number of claims for orthodontic appliances per 1,000 population, 2000–01
		
			 Health authority Claims per 1,000 population 
		
		
			 England  
			 Avon 6.5 
			 Barking and Havering 7.6 
			 Barnet 15.1 
			 Barnsley 2.1 
			 Bedfordshire 1.9 
			 Berkshire 5.8 
			 Bexley and Greenwich 6.0 
			 Birmingham 5.0 
			 Bradford 1.8 
			 Brent and Harrow 3.3 
			 Bromley 10.1 
			 Buckinghamshire 4.2 
			 Bury and Rochdale 5.9 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees 4.0 
			 Cambridge 4.1 
			 Camden and Islington 2.4 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 3.5 
			 County Durham 2.3 
			 Coventry 3.1 
			 Croydon 6.7 
			 Doncaster 5.7 
			 Dorset 4.0 
			 Dudley 3.7 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 3.8 
			 East and North Hertfordshire 6.4 
			 East Kent 3.6 
			 East Lancashire 3.3 
			 East London and The City 4.8 
			 East Riding 3.1 
			 East Surrey 5.5 
			 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 4.0 
			 Enfield and Haringey 5.5 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 1.9 
			 Gloucestershire 6.4 
			 Herefordshire 4.5 
			 Hillingdon 7.5 
			 Isle of Wight 5.6 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 5.6 
			 Kingston and Richmond 7.9 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 3.8 
			 Leeds 6.0 
			 Leicestershire 3.7 
			 Lincolnshire 2.5 
			 Liverpool 6.5 
			 Manchester 2.8 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 3.3 
			 Morecambe Bay 3.4 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 3.8 
			 Norfolk 4.7 
			 North and East Devon 5.1 
			 North and Mid Hampshire 3.1 
			 North Cheshire 7.1 
			 North Cumbria 2.6 
			 North Derbyshire 4.5 
			 North Essex 5.2 
			 North Nottinghamshire 6.0 
			 North Staffordshire 3.1 
			 North West Lancashire 8.9 
			 North Yorkshire 4.2 
			 Northamptonshire 4.3 
			 Northumberland 1.6 
			 Nottingham 5.7 
			 Oxfordshire 4.9 
			 Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 1.8 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 7.8 
			 Rotherham 2.8 
			 Salford and Trafford 8.0 
			 Sandwell 2.8 
			 Sefton 1.4 
			 Sheffield 4.8 
			 Shropshire 5.6 
			 Solihull 5.7 
			 Somerset 4.4 
			 South and West Devon 4.3 
			 South Cheshire 11.0 
			 South Derbyshire 3.4 
			 South Essex 3.4 
			 South Humber 2.5 
			 South Lancashire 6.2 
			 South Staffordshire 2.6 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire 4.2 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley 2.4 
			 Stockport 5.7 
			 Suffolk 5.4 
			 Sunderland 2.9 
			 Tees 3.9 
			 Wakefield 3.0 
			 Walsall 2.7 
			 Warwickshire 3.2 
			 West Hertfordshire 9.2 
			 West Kent 8.5 
			 West Pennine 7.4 
			 West Surrey 8.8 
			 West Sussex 7.9 
			 Wigan and Bolton 5.9 
			 Wiltshire 5.4 
			 Wirral 9.0 
			 Wolverhampton 3.2 
			 Worcestershire 5.7 
			   
			 England 4.9

NHS Estates

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all those NHS hospital sites being considered for sale by NHS Estates and their respective bed capacities when last fully utilised.

John Hutton: holding answer 15 October 2001
	National Health Service Estates is responsible for disposing of surplus NHS property owned by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. During the last five years these disposals have generated over £1.15 billion for reinvestment in the NHS.
	Details of whole or substantial parts of hospital site disposals proposed for 2001–02 and those being considered for disposal thereafter, following review with appropriate health bodies, are outlined in a table which will be placed in the Library.
	The NHS Plan provides for an extra 7,000 beds by 2004, with the biggest hospital building programme in the history of the NHS already under way. The disposal of properties that need to be replaced due to their age, condition or unsuitability to provide modern healthcare will continue to generate cash for reinvestment in NHS modernisation.
	Due to the considerable elapse of time since many of the sites were last operated at full utilisation, following changing models of delivering patient services, details of bed capacities at that point are not readily available.

Hospital Doctors

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital doctors have been (a) recruited and (b) left the NHS in England in each year since 1990.

John Hutton: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The Department does not routinely collect data on the number of joiners and leavers from the medical and dental grades. The annual medical and dental workforce census contains details of individual doctors working in the national health service on 30 September each year. Figures are shown in the table.
	
		Headcount of hospital medical staff, England at 30 September
		
			   Headcount 
		
		
			 1990 58,120 
			 1991 58,700 
			 1992 58,820 
			 1993 59,720 
			 1994 59,490 
			 1995 62,720 
			 1996 64,210 
			 1997 66,840 
			 1998 68,460 
			 1999 70,000 
			 2000 71,690 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health medical workforce census
	It is possible to link together files from consecutive years using the doctors' General Medical Council number, to see how many doctors are present one year and not the next, and vice versa. This provides a reliable general indication of turnover, which is used in workforce models, but does not provide reliable separate figures for leavers and joiners. The main reasons for this are:
	Doctors do not receive full registration until they have completed their pre-registration year. For most doctors in the earlier stages of their careers, the census will show them with a limited registration GMC number in one year, and a completely different full registration number the following year. If we match these files together, the doctor would appear notionally as both a leaver and a joiner.
	Similarly, some doctors in the latter stages of their career take career breaks, or work for periods of time in other sectors such as the armed forces. The census only counts those doctors working on a given day (30 September), so again leaving and joining rates tend to be slightly inflated.

Renewable Energy

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the policy of the NHS is for purchasing of energy from renewable sources.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The national health service complies with Government policy as determined by the Office of Government Commerce which requires that all public procurement of goods and services is based upon value for money, having due regard to propriety and regularity.
	The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency negotiated a national contract for purchasing electricity from renewable sources which was an option to the NHS from April 2000. However, it attracted an average 5 per cent. price premium. Therefore, no NHS bodies took up this option.
	In the recent October/November 2001 contract round, electricity from renewable resources has been secured without a price premium. This should provide approximately 16 per cent. of the total NHS demand for electricity in the next 12 months.

National Beds Inquiry

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will made a statement on the implications of the national bed survey for Worcestershire.

Jacqui Smith: The report of our National Beds Inquiry (NBI) was published for consultation in February 2000. The facts revealed by the NBI supported the concept of building a new bridge of national health service care for older people between hospital and home, and supported the first national strategy for providing NHS beds in 30 years.
	Worcestershire health authority is currently modelling bed numbers and capacity for the year ahead. The health authority's modelling work on bed numbers will take into account the NBI.
	The NHS plan took forward the findings of the NBI report by proposing action to increase bed numbers. The Department subsequently published new long-term planning guidance in February 2001 to implement NHS plan bed increases. This guidance will help local health economies ensure that they have the right number and mix of beds in place.

Nursing Home Beds

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing home beds have been lost since June, (a) nationally, (b) in the City of York and (c) in the North Yorkshire county council area in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The table shows the number of registered nursing 1 beds in 1999 and 2000, together with the absolute and percentage change in numbers for England, Northern and Yorkshire Regional Office and North Yorkshire health authority. Information is not available for the City of York.
	1 Registered beds in general and mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics
	
		Number of registered nursing care beds
		
			 Year ending 31 March  
			  1999 2000 Absolute change Percentage change 
		
		
			 England 202,200 193,300 -8,800 -4.4 
			 Northern and Yorkshire Regional Office 30,600 28,500 -2,100 -6.8 
			 North Yorkshire Health Authority 4,450 4,320 -130 -3.0 
		
	
	Note:
	Numbers and percentages are rounded.
	Source:
	Source: Department of Health Annual Returns

NHS Dentistry (Swadlincote)

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of NHS dentistry in Swadlincote, Derbyshire.

Hazel Blears: In September 1999, we gave a commitment that, within two years, everyone would be able to access National Health Service dentistry if, and when they wanted it, via NHS Direct. All health authorities in England now have in place dentistry action plans to ensure that everyone in their local area can access NHS dentistry if they want it, within a reasonable time and distance. These plans identify shortfalls in service provision and ways of tackling unmet demand.
	Southern Derbyshire Health Authority has recently been allocated £35,000 from the Dental Care Development Fund to support the development of a new practice in this area. Discussions are taking place with a dentist who has expressed an interest in practising in Swadlincote. If an agreement can be reached with the dentist concerned, this will ensure the availability of NHS services at the new practice for five years.

Delayed Discharge

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital patients are subject to delayed discharge in (a) Brighton, Hove and East Sussex and (b) Eastbourne district general hospital.

Hazel Blears: Quarterly information for East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority, for patients aged 75 and over, has been placed in the Library.
	Information on delayed discharges is not available centrally for patients under 75 and individual hospitals. Further information may be obtained from the Chairmen of East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority and Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust.

Ministerial Travel

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will list all official overseas visits undertaken by Ministers in his Department in each year since May 1997, indicating (a) the cost in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, (b) the number and grade of (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers accompanying Ministers and (c) the number of official engagements or meetings undertaken on each visit; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  on how many occasions in each year since 1992 non-commercial flights were used by Ministers in his Department for official overseas visits; what the (a) destination, (b) Ministers involved, (c) cost and (d) reason for use of non-commercial flights were on each occasion; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 823W.

Departmental Staff

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate total annual staff costs for his Department and its agencies by nation and region of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		£ 
		
			 Government office region (GORs)(29) Total 
		
		
			 London 103,913,670 
			 South East 6,218,096 
			 South West 8,879,731 
			 West Midlands 5,839,820 
			 North West 19,827,095 
			 North East 5,873,323 
			 Merseyside 219,074 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 38,968,069 
			 East Midlands 1,257,707 
			 Eastern 5,560,394 
			  
			 Grand total 196,574,360 
		
	
	(29) Government office regions (GORs) as defined by Cabinet Office for official statistical returns. It excludes data where GOR information is not held
	Note:
	Figures relate to England only and include the Department's agencies. The Department has no staff in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
	Source:
	Department of Health August 2001 payroll data

Departmental Staff

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of each civil service grade in his Department is located in each region and nation of the United Kingdom; what the average salary is for each grade; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		Table 1. How many and what proportion of each civil service grade, located in each region and nation of the United Kingdom
		
			 Government office region (GORs)(30) All grades SCS level Level 6/7 SEO/HEO level EO level AO/AA level 
		
		
			 London 3,108 272 623 843 705 665 
			 (Percentage) 100 8 17 24 24 26 
			
			 South East 182 10 45 59 39 29 
			 (Percentage) 100 5 22 30 20 23 
			
			 South West 231 27 67 57 37 43 
			 (Percentage) 100 11 30 24 15 21 
			
			 West Midlands 160 22 40 24 34 40 
			 (Percentage) 100 14 25 15 21 26 
			
			 North West 810 23 88 140 132 427 
			 (Percentage) 100 1 7 14 21 58 
			
			 North East 158 20 35 43 22 38 
			 (Percentage) 100 12 22 28 14 26 
			
			 Merseyside 15 0 0 1 3 11 
			 (Percentage) 100 0 0 3 10 87 
			
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 1,301 75 316 374 283 253 
			 (Percentage) 100 5 22 24 22 27 
			
			 East Midlands 64 2 9 2 11 40 
			 (Percentage) 100 2 12 2 11 72 
			
			 Eastern 131 16 51 25 18 21 
			 (Percentage) 100 11 37 19 14 18 
			  
			 Total 6,160 467 1,274 1,568 1,284 1,567 
		
	
	(30) Government office regions (GORs) as defined by Cabinet Office for official statistical returns. It excludes data where GOR information is not held
	Note:
	Figures relate to England only. The Department has no staff in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
	Source:
	Department of Health August 2001 payroll data
	
		Table 2. The average salary for each grade
		
			  £  
			 Grade Average(31) 
		
		
			 SCS 67,725 
			 Grade 6 49,651 
			 Grade 7 39,983 
			 SEO 28,833 
			 HEO 22,818 
			 EO 18,287 
			 AO 14,218 
			 AA 10,906 
		
	
	(31) The average of salaries for each grade across all Government office regions (GORs)
	Note:
	August 2001 payroll data

Animal Experiments

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to promote the benefits of the use of animals in the testing of drugs.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 16 October 2001
	The Minister with responsibility for research at the Department, my noble Friend the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, takes every available opportunity to make it clear that properly regulated research using animals is absolutely essential to the discovery of new treatments, as well as to the assessment of safety and efficacy of medicines.

Prosthetics

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the additional funding for silicone cosmesis for prosthetic limbs announced in Autumn 2000 will be given to disablement service centres.

Jacqui Smith: We have increased health authority allocations by £4 million over the next three years to provide silicone cosmesis for prosthetic limb users. This funding started in April this year with £0.5 million for 2001–02, £1.5 million for 2002–03 and a further £2 million for 2003–04.
	These amounts were in health authority general allocations. We will be writing to chief executives and finance directors of health authorities that commission prosthetic services to ensure this funding is available to disablement services centres.
	The contract for purchasing the silicone cosmesis coverings was negotiated and awarded on 1 October 2001.

Head Injuries

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government will publish their response to the Health Committee's report on rehabilitation following head injury.

Jacqui Smith: The response was laid before Parliament on 24 July. The response is called "Government Response to the Health Select Committee: Inquiry into Head Injury Rehabilitation", (Command Paper 5226). The response can also be downloaded from the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/longterm.htm.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health authorities in England providing funding for anti-TNF therapy for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the prescribing of Etanercept (Enbrel) and Infliximab (Remicade) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is not available centrally.
	Infliximab (Remicade) and Etanercept (Enbrel) are currently being appraised by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). Until NICE has completed its appraisal, National Health Service bodies have been advised to determine local prescribing policies based on the available evidence.

Older People (Challenging Behaviour)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on older people whose health problems include challenging behaviour.

Jacqui Smith: The National Service Framework for Older People was published on 27 March this year. It sets, for the first time, new national standards of care for all older people, across all care settings. The NSF looks at conditions that mainly affect older people, including dementia.
	Standard 7 of the NSF relates to mental health and will ensure that those older people who have mental health problems have access to integrated mental health services to ensure effective diagnosis, treatment and support, for them and for their carers.
	Although memory loss is a universal symptom of dementia, psychiatric systems and behavioural disturbances (such as depression, wandering, agitation, aggression, hallucinations and paranoid ideas) may also be present in those individuals with dementia.
	The NSF recognised that specialist mental health services should be available to be consulted about and treat the most common mental health disorders in old age (depression, dementia, schizophrenia, mania and confusional states). Specialist care may be required for individuals suffering from behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
	A full range of psychological and physical treatments should be available, including:
	advice on behavioural management for people in residential and nursing homes;
	drug treatment with antipsychotic and other forms of medications, where appropriate;
	individual and family counselling and support.
	The Department has issued guidance to staff on managing violence in all healthcare settings, including mental health. The guidance was issued as part of the National Health Service zero tolerance zone campaign to tackle violence against staff working in the NHS.
	The guidance "Managing Violence in Mental Health" states that individual patients should be risk assessed for violence to themselves and/or others. Where a risk of violence is identified, an action plan or strategy for dealing with such behaviour should also be in place.

Alcohol and Drug Misuse

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the representative body for alcohol and drug counselling regarding "Fit for the future".

Jacqui Smith: The Department consulted widely when developing the draft national minimum standards for care homes for younger people; these standards include services for drug and alcohol misuse. In addition, representatives from Alcohol Concern and DrugScope were members of the formal reference group that advised the Department. The consultation period for these standards closed on 21 September and the Department is currently considering the 500 responses received.
	"Fit for the Future" was a consultation document for older people's services, published in 1999.

Alcohol and Drug Misuse

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what flexibility he will allow care homes who specialise in treating alcohol or drug addicts under "Fit for the future" proposals.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has just completed the consultation on draft regulations for care homes and national minimum standards for care homes for younger adults, including those for drug and alcohol misuse. We will consider all responses fully before finalising our proposals.

TETRA Masts

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the latest health evidence on the safety of TETRA masts.

Hazel Blears: A report by the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (IEGMP) (the Stewart Report) provided a comprehensive and authoritative review of possible health effects of emissions from mobile phone masts. The report concluded that the balance of evidence indicated that there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines. The group was concerned that there could be indirect adverse effects on people's wellbeing in some cases and efforts have been made by Government to improve the availability of information about the siting and emissions from base stations.
	The Report also indicated that there are some unique features of emissions from terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) telecommunication systems that may be a cause for concern. This was addressed in a report by the National Radiological Protection Board's (NRPB's) Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation at the request of the Government. This report was published on the NRPB web site at the end of July 2001. In relation to exposures from TETRA base stations it concluded that exposures of the public would be small fractions of exposure guidelines and comparable to those arising from the operation of other telecommunication systems.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of health visitors in the new Nursing and Midwifery Council.

John Hutton: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 3 July 2001, Official Report, column 150W.

Global Warming

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to assess the effects of global warming on health.

Hazel Blears: In 1999 the Department commissioned an expert group on climate change and health in the United Kingdom to advise on the likely effects of climate change on health in the UK. The group included experts from meteorological and climate change fields as well as from public health, physiology, epidemiology and microbiology.
	The review "Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK" was published for comment in February this year, and posted on the departmental website. The responses, together with the conclusions contained in the report, are currently being evaluated and a final version will be published later this year.

Podiatrists

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to establish a register of podiatrists to include private practitioners; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The new Health Professions Council will determine arrangements for the admission to its register for each of the professions it regulates. The Council will have a duty to consult and involve all those likely to be affected.

Lorazepam

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what clinical and prescribing advice has been given for Lorazepam with specific reference to the dosage and the period of time over which it is usual to administer the drug.

Hazel Blears: All licensed medical products have an approved summary of product characteristics (SPC) which includes clinical and prescribing information.
	Lorazepam is licensed for the short-term (two to four weeks) treatment of severe anxiety occurring alone or in association with insomnia or psychosomatic, organic or psychotic illness.
	The usual dose for adults is 1–4 milligrammes daily in divided doses. Lower doses may be used in patients with renal or hepatic impairment, or in the elderly.
	The dosage section of the SPC advises that Lorazepam should not be used for long-term chronic use, and that routine repeat prescriptions should be avoided.
	The therapeutic indications section of the SPC specifies short-term use for two to four weeks.
	The potential for the development of tolerance and dependence are discussed in the special warnings and precautions section of the SPC, where there is also additional discussion of the need for the duration of treatment to be as short as possible. The potential for rebound (withdrawal) symptoms is also discussed.

Generic Medicines

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the outcome of the review under Article 4 of the Council Directive 89/105/EEC of the statutory maximum price scheme for generic medicines dispensed in the NHS in the Community.

Hazel Blears: We are today announcing our decision, taken in the light of consultation with interested parties, to roll forward, unchanged, the maximum price scheme for generic medicines. The scheme will remain in place pending decision on longer-term arrangements for the supply and reimbursement of generic medicines. The statutory maximum price will continue to be set on a United Kingdom-wide basis.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Domestic Terrorism

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on domestic terrorism following 11 September and the declaration of an international war on terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: I have been asked to reply.
	The Prime Minister has made it quite clear that we will take all the action we judge necessary to deal with terrorism wherever it occurswhether inside the United Kingdom or outside, or whether it is international or domestic. I would refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 923, which sets out some of that action relating both to international and domestic terrorism.